My Journey, My Story
by Mikashimotaku
Summary: My name is Kashino Lynne-Ichigo, the daughter of Kashino Makoto and Amano-Kashino Ichigo. I'm finally 13 years old and I'm going to start my first year at St. Marie. I'm here to set my own legend and show people all I've got. Along the way I'll find challenges, friends, rivals and maybe even love. Would you like to join me? R&R!
1. St Marie, Here I Come!

**Me: Hi!**

**Kashino: What is this?**

**Me: ... A new story?**

**Kashino: YOU'VE GOT WAY TOO MANY STORIES AS IS!**

**Me: I'm sorry! Okay! Just so everyone knows, this is a new story. I know I have a lot of stories going on already, so in the future, I may have to put some of them on hiatus.**

**ANYWAY. This is something I've been dying to write for a long time. Ever since I created Kashigo's Children! This is of course... Lynne's journey at St. Marie!**

**Ichigo: EH? Seriously? **

**Me: Of course! Lynne is one of my favourite characters and I couldn't wait to bring her to St. Marie!**

**Kashino: Oh boy...**

**Me: I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 1: St. Marie, Here I Come!

Michael: 18

Lynne: 13

Dylan: 10

XxXxX

I stare out the window, bouncing up and down excitedly. "Lynne, give it a rest. Calm down. You've been bouncing the whole ride." My older brother, Michael, stares at me for a second. Complaining is one of his favourite things to do. Usually, he's complaining about me.

"I'm sorry," I scoff, rolling my brown eyes at him, "I'm just so excited! It's not every day you get accepted into St. Marie Academy!"

That's right. My name is Kashino Lynne Ichigo and I was accepted into St. Marie Academy, a school specializing in baking sweets! Both my mother and father went there. In fact, it was where they first met. They were both 14, in their second year. But that's their own story. I am finally 13 years old, meaning I am finally old enough for my first year at St. Marie!

I have two brothers, one older and one younger. Michael, my older brother is already 18 years old. It's really strange. That means he's legally an adult already. Mom and Dad always have trouble accepting it. I would assume it's because he still lives with them and is still going to school. It's strange, my brother never got the baking genes. Apparently, when he was small, Mom tried to bake with him. Long story short, the fire department was not happy. Ever since then, Michael has refused to bake. So instead, he goes to school at the local university. He just graduated high school and is studying to be a doctor. I know Dad is a little bit sceptical about it, but he wants to support his dreams. Of course, Dad's parents support him too, they are doctors to. And so is almost every other Kashino, except for Dad and Mom of course.

My little brother's name is Dylan. He's 10 years old. That means he's 3 years younger than I am. Like me, he loves baking a lot. Usually, he likes to help me out while I'm baking in our own kitchen. He does the little things like setting the oven temperature and getting ingredients for me. His own plan for the future is to attend St. Marie too. He's wanted to go there just as long as I have. He loves the place so much; he wants to be a teacher there when he grows up. Too bad for him right now, he's still too young. So he can't stay with me. He was a little jealous about it at first, but it's all cleared up now.

And finally there's me, the only daughter of Makoto and Ichigo Kashino. I've loved sweets ever since I was a little girl. I spent a lot of time in my parents' shop and just grew to love it so much. I promised my parents I would take over their shop when I was old enough, so ever since I've been intent on learning how to bake. My mom taught me my first sweet, the vanilla cupcake when I was 8 years old. I've been improving my skills ever since then. So I consider myself to be a pretty decent baker. I'm super excited to be joining St. Marie to bake to my heart's content. But at the same time, I'm just glad to finally get out of my house.

I know my family loves me, but there are times I really just want to get out of there. After all, I've been living there for the past 13 years. I call myself 'The Awkward Middle' because I'm the middle child. I'm not the oldest or the youngest. So I'm usually the easiest to ignore. But not anymore! Now that I'm going to St. Marie, I can be my own person. I'm not 'Michael's Little Sister' or 'Dylan's Older Sister' I'm Lynne. And that's it.

"Yeah I know," Michael drawls on, "It's a big deal, I get it. As much as I'm happy for you, you've really got to stop bouncing. It's annoying me."

I'm about to reply, when my Dad stops me. "Okay you two, that's enough." He turns the corner and I sigh. No use in arguing with him. I learned a long time ago that my dad is really stubborn and will hardly ever change his mind.

My mother on the other hand, is the sweetest person I've ever known. She's very patient and kind. She forgave me for a lot of stupid things I did as a little kid. One time, I ruined her favourite dress and she got really mad at me. But she forgave me and even said she was sorry for yelling at me. She's the best mom a girl could ever have. Of course, I love my Dad too. He may be stubborn and a little bit cold, but that's just how he is. I know, no matter what, he still loves me and that's all that matters. And even Uncle Andou tells me, my dad used to be a lot worse before, but Mom really has softened him up a lot. Although, he always denies it.

Dylan whines softly beside me. He's been sleeping for the past hour or two, but I guess he's waking up now. "Lynnie...?" He mumbles quietly. Even now, at 13 years old, I'm still called that. It annoys me sometimes, because Michael's already outgrown his nickname, but it is kind of cute when my little brother says it.

I smile and pat his head gently. He groans softly before I reassure him to fall asleep again, and he soon does. I do make it sound like he's a baby, but he's not. He's really loud and outspoken, sneaky and smart; it's only when he's in cars that he really turns into a little kid. He gets very easily car sick and our whole family had learned the best thing we can do, is get him to sleep during car rides.

"Lynnie, look!" My mother turns around to face me. She's sitting in the passenger seat, her soft brown hair tied in a messy bun, "I can see the school!"

"Where?" I gasp excitedly, pushing Michael with my arms to try and see through the window. Another downside to being the awkward middle kid, I have to sit in the middle. Dylan needs the side seat, because he's easily car sick and Michael just gets everything because he's older than I am.

"Hey watch it!" Michael groans, as I lean to the side, almost completely sitting in his lap. I stare out the window, trying to look past the endless sea of trees. And then I see it. The beautiful building that is St. Marie.

I squeal excitedly and Michael pushes me back into my own spot, "Okay you saw it," He sighs, "Can you please not sit on me?"

"Ehehe..." I giggle nervously, "Sorry 'bout that."

XxXxX

Dad finally stops the car and I pretty much fly out of the car. Unfortunately for me, I trip over Michael's foot as I jump out and fall flat on my face. "Ow..." I grumble, rubbing my nose. My Dad always tells me I'm as clumsy as my mother. I sincerely hope that isn't true, because Mom told me stories when I was little about how much she would fall down the stairs.

Soon, the rest of my family is out of the car. Dylan is back to his energetic self. He tugs on my arm excitedly, "Lynnie look! LOOK!" He points to the building, "Can you believe you're here? I'm so jealous!" He bounces up and down, "Only 3 more years until I get to join you. 3 years is way too long!"

I nod, silently praying he'll let go. I don't need people staring at me. Dad unloads the last of my bags from the back. Michael is helping him carry them; meanwhile Mom is looking for something she seems to have misplaces on the car ride here.

"Excuse me, are you Lynne-chan?" I look up to see a boy with bright green eyes and brown hair staring at me. He's holding a bouquet of flowers and as soon as I set my eyes on his smile, I begin blushing.

"Um... Yes," I stammer sheepishly. I realize that Dylan is still attached to my arm and turn an alarming shade of red, "Dylan!" Shaking my arm, I hiss quietly, "Let go!" He complies and races of the talk to Michael.

"Welcome to St. Marie Academy," The boy says with a bow, "It's a pleasure to meet you mademoiselle," he takes my hand and presses his lips to my knuckles, "My name is Isho Hiro."

My face must be hotter than the surface of the sun. "N-nice to meet you... Isho-kun."

He smiles gently. Releasing my hand, he gives me the bouquet of flowers. I take them and sniff them, "Hey, are these made of candy?" I ask, shocked. They look so much like real flowers; you never would guess that they're fake.

"Of course," Isho says with a shrug, "Only the best for you mademoiselle."

"Who are you?" He freezes, hearing a voice behind him. I cringe inwardly, _Oh no. Here we go again..._

Isho turns around to come face to face with my father. His eyelids are lowered and he's crossing his arms. "K-Kashino Makoto-sama!" Isho gasps, "You're Lynne-chan's father?"

"I am," He says casually, as if it's no big deal. He leans in closely and I take a step back. "If you do anything to my little girl, I swear..."

Isho squeaks in alarm, "S-sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Makoto!" My mother intervenes, grabbing Dad by the back of his shirt, "Excuse my husband," she rolls her eyes, "He's just a little too protective."

"Hey! I am not!" He argues, trying to pull away from her.

"What's your name?" Mom asks, ignoring Dad who is still protesting, yet can't escape her grasp.

"My name is Isho Hiro," He stammers, I can tell he's slightly weirded out by my odd family.

Mom smiles, "It's a pleasure to meet you." She lets go of Dad, "Come on Makoto, you've got to loosen up. You won't be here to protect her ever second of the day!"

Dad crosses his arms and scowls, "He was being a player!"

"Was not, he was being hospitable. Hanabusa-kun did the same thing for me on my first day."

Mom and Dad continue arguing and Isho comes up beside me. "Do your parents always argue like this?" He asks, laughing nervously.

I sigh and nod, "Sadly... They do."

XxXxX

After Mom and Dad finally calm down, dad sets my bags in front of Hiro and I. "I assume by your character..." Dad says stiffly, "That you're princely enough to carry my daughters bags for her?"

"Dad!" I gasp, face-palming myself. Why must my parents be so embarrassing?

"Princely...?" Isho repeats, raising an eyebrow, "I would suppose so... Sir." He adds sir awkwardly, unsure of what to call my dad.

"Give it a rest Makoto," Mom groans, "Go back in the car so I can talk to Lynne please." Dad always listens to Mom; I guess it shows how much he loves her.

He walks back to the car, telling Michael and Dylan to follow suit. "So," Mom says, "You're finally here."

I nod. Isho has begun taking care of my bags, so it's just me and mom. "I'm so proud of you," She continues, "You've grown up to be a beautiful young woman."

"Aw Mom..." I reply sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck.

"I want to give you something," Mom tells me, opening her purse. This takes me by surprise. I didn't realize my parents were going to give me something. Paying for my tuition was already enough for me. "Here."

Mom hands me a small silver box and I gaze at it with amazement. The box has 'Jewelry' written in fancy golden letters. This must have been really expensive. "Open it," Mom laughs. With shaking hands, I open the box and gasp. Inside is a silver necklace. There are two charms on it. One, is a delicate golden strawberry. It's carved to make it as realistic as possible, each seed carefully set. The second is a silver bar of chocolate, smoothed over to make it appear glossy and perfect. "Oh Mom..." I breath, feeling tears prickling in my eyes, "This is so beautiful."

"Your father and I are so proud of you," Mom says, taking the necklace from the box, "This is juts a reminder for you, no matter what you do, we'll always be there for you."

I can only picture Mom and Dad at the jewelry shop, picking out these charms. Strawberry, to remind me of Mom, chocolate to remind me of dad. "Thanks Mom," I smile at her, feeling tears finally pool in my eyes. This is it. I'm going to be staying here and Mom, Dad, Michael and Dylan are going to go home. Mom puts the necklace around my neck and clasps it shut.

"I love you," She says, kissing me sweetly on the forehead.

"I love you too Mom," I whisper back, rubbing my eyes. I don't want to cry.

Mom pats my head before smiling. Her smile is happy, yet sad at the same time. I can't even imagine how hard this must be for her. "Promise you'll come and visit?" She asks.

"I promise." I say, my voice wavering slightly.

She holds my hand one last time before letting go. "Good bye Lynne."

"Good Bye Mom." She gets into the car and tells something to Dad. He starts the engine and I watch as my family wave's good bye to me. I wave back, and Dad eventually begins driving away. I see them pass the gate and turn, and then they're gone.

XxXxX

I reach for my neck and run my fingers along the necklace. I can feel tears threatening to fall, but I don't want to cry, this is a happy day.

"Um... Lynne-chan?" I turn and Isho is waiting for me. He has one of my bags slung over his shoulder and is dragging the other.

"Sorry Isho-kun," I smile, "So where are we going?"

He begins walking in the direction of the campus, "It is my job to escort you to the dorms, your room mate will take over after that."

I scurry after him, still holding the bouquet of candy flowers, "Okay."

"Let's go Lynne-chan," He smiles and we walk together towards the dorms.

XxXxX

I have to admit. St. Marie Academy is absolutely gorgeous. The cobblestone steps and huge water fountains make me feel as if I've just been transported to Europe. I look around, transfixed, while Isho is lugging around my bags. "Here we are," He says finally, "This is the girls' dorm." He sets down my bags and flips his hair, kind of like the way Uncle Hanabusa does. "Sadly, I'm not allowed in. But your roommate should be here shortly. Do you need me to wait with you?"

I laugh and put my hands on my hips, "I'm okay waiting on my own," I boast proudly, "After all, I AM a Kashino after all!" I take pride in my family. I really do. I'm always proud to be a Kashino.

"Okay," He smiles, "I'm sure we are in the same class Lynne-chan, so I'll see you around."

"Thank you Isho-kun," I grin, waving to him. And he walks off, disappearing into the boys' dorm.

I sit on my luggage and wait. Who could my roommate be? Mom and Aunt Rumi are best friends, so I really hope I have a nice roommate too. I could use a friend, of course, Isho-kun is nice, but I need some girl friends too.

"Excuse me, are you Lynne-chan?" I look up to see a girl my age. She has long black hair that reaches her mid-back. She has bright amethyst eyes that sparkle in delight. She's wearing the simple pink St. Marie uniform and has a white bow in her hair.

"Yes, I am," I say with a smile. Standing up and brushing off my skirt, I extend my hand to her.

She takes it and grins at me, "My name is Hiroko Hana, feel free to call me Hana-chan."

"Hana-chan?" I say, in awe, "That's a really pretty name."

She laughs sweetly, "Well, it's very common too. You're name is much nicer, it's very different from usual names here."

"T-thank you," I stammer, blushing lightly. No one's ever complimented my name before. They usually ask me why I'm Japanese with a Caucasian name.

"Anyway," Hana continues, "I'm going to be your roommate, I hope that's okay with you?"

"Of course it is!" I shrug, "You seem really nice! I'm sure we can be great friends."

Hana takes one of my two bags, "Come, I'll show you to our room." She eyes my bouquet of flowers, "I assume you've met Isho-kun already?"

"Eh?" I say confusedly, "How did you know that?"

She giggles and points to my flowers, "He gives flowers to every new girl. Really nice isn't it?"

I snort, "Hm." Hana eyes me questioningly, "Oh nothing," I laugh, smirking, "It's just my Dad was right. He is a player."

Hana rolls her eyes, "You betcha, come on, let me show you our room."

XxXxX

Our room is a simple room with two beds on either side of the room. Each side has a desk with a lamp set on it. A matching chair is tucked into the desk. A single pink uniform is laid out on the bed. "That's yours," Hana points to it, "The others are in the closet."

"Thanks," I say, putting down my bags and picking it up. I stare at the crisp St. Marie emblem and a chill runs down my spine. I'm really here. I'm really going to the school of my dreams.

"So, as you can guess," Hana continues, "This is your side of the room. That's okay, right?"

I smile, setting the uniform back down on the bed. "You don't need to keep asking me if everything is okay Hana-chan, I'm usually fine with anything."

She blushes sheepishly, "Sorry, just trying to make you feel more comfortable."

I clap my hand on her shoulder and smile boldly, "I'm almost never uncomfortable in the first place. So don't worry 'bout it!"

Hana smiles and crosses the room to pull back the curtains covering the window. I join her and look out to see the view. "Woah, what's that?" I point to a statue of what looks to be a fairy. She's very pretty and seems so magical.

"Have you ever heard of sweet spirits?" Hana asks.

It sounds familiar, though I can't quite place my finger on it. Shaking my head, Hana continues, "They say sweets spirits are beings that are said to live at this school. According to legend, if you are to see one, they make your dreams come true."

"Wow!" I breath, my eyes sparkling dreamily, "I wonder what it must be like to meet a sweets spirit."

"I know right?" Hana agrees, "I can only dream of what it must be like." She pauses before saying, "We can go down and see the statue if you'd like."

"Of course I would!" I say excitedly, clapping my hands together, "Let me just change into my uniform and we can go."

"Of course, of course," Hana says. I cheer and grab the uniform off the bed. Running in the bathroom I change quickly so we can head out.

XxXxX

"Wow!" I say, my voice filled with awe. The Sweets Spirit statue looks even prettier up close.

"This is the Queen of the Sweets Spirits," Hana tells me, "She's in charge of the whole Sweets Kingdom... Or so the Legend says."

I smile, "That so cool!" Putting my hands together I pray silently, _Hello Sweets Queen, my name is Kashino Lynne. I'm so excited to finally be going to St. Marie Academy. Please watch over me._

"Lynne-chan... Just because she's a queen doesn't mean you need to pray to her..."

"It's okay!" I cheer, "I just hope I can do better and better!" I place my hands on my hips, "I'm going to improve my skills so much the world won't know what hit them!" I wink at Hana and she laughs nervously. She doesn't seem like the most outgoing person in the world.

I take a step back, "Just watch out world! Because I..." I take another step back. Curse me and my clumsiness, but I trip backward and begin falling. "WOAH!"

Before I hit the ground, I feel some catch me. I open my eyes, unsure as to why I haven't fallen yet. "O-Oh!" I'm in the arms of a boy with blond hair. He has huge, golden coloured eyes and stares at me intently. In fact, he almost reminds me of my Dad.

"Oi," He says. I'm surprised in how emotionless he sounds, "Watch where you're going."

"S-sorry..." I stammer. I notice there are two boys behind him, one has dark black hair and navy blue eyes. The other... "Isho-kun!"

I get up and the blond boy rolls his eyes at me, "Sheesh. I don't even know you and you're already annoying me."

I narrow my eyes at him, before turning to Hiro. "Hi Isho-kun! Are these two your friends?"

Isho smiles at me. Gesturing to the friend beside him, he says, "Yes, this is Komanda Aito."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Komanda says, bowing politely.

"Same for me Komanda-kun," I grin, "My name is Kashino Lynne."

The blond rudely interrupts me, "Eh? You're the Kashino kid that everyone's been talking about?"

I turn to him, "How rude! I was still talking!"

He shrugs and grabs hold of my wrist. Holding up my arm, he says, "I just expected... More. After all, your parents are well known patissieres."

"Again," I rip my hand away from his grasp, "RUDE. Who are you anyway? You haven't even introduced yourself!"

"My name is Himoto Kazuye," He scoffs, "Not that it's any of your business."

"You really are rude!" I snap, crossing my arms.

He stares blankly, "It's not like I really care what you think... After all. Looking at your type, I can see your probably not that good at making sweets."

"EXCUSE ME?" I am suddenly filled with fury, who does this kid think he is anyway? "You'd better watch out Himoto Kazuye! You've just started playing with fire! I just happen to be an amazing Patissiere!"

He smirks. That expression just for some reason makes me furious, "Prove it Kashino."

"Is that a challenge Himoto?" I ask roughly, crossing my arms.

"Baka, of course it is," He rolls his eyes, "I challenge you to a competition, tomorrow, in class. Whoever gets the higher grade wins."

"YOU'RE ON!" I shout. Not thinking. It's one of the many things I got from my mother. Making hasty decisions.

"See you later Kashino," Himoto says snidely, stalking off. Ishio and Komanda follow him.

"EH!" Hana screams finally, grabbing hold of me, "What did you just do Lynne-chan!"

"What?" I ask perplexed, "I happen to be a great Patissiere. No way that... Himoto, can beat me!"

"Himoto is top of class!" She says, her voice shaking. My eyes widen. I am again paying for hasty desicions.

"Oh no! What do I do?" I flail my arms around, "If I don't get a higher grade then he does, I'm screwed!"

"I'm not sure!" Hana moans, "I'm only in B group, I wouldn't know!"

This is just great. First day and I'm already screwed.

Meanwhile, a little pink butterfly flies overhead. "Hm," She says quietly, "She reminds me a lot of Ichigo."

* * *

**Me: I absolutely need feedback on this! Should I continue? Should I drop it?**

**Kashino: Drop it. You're putting too much on your plate at once...**

**Ichigo: Kashino! Stop it. She can do whatever she wants!**

**Kashino: But-**

**Me: Please Review!**

**:D**


	2. Enter, My Own Sweet Spirit!

**Me: Hey! Guess what! I'm already back with another chapter!**

**Kashino: No way... Where's the real Mikashi?**

**Me: I am the real Mikashi... I just am so excited with this story, I couldn't stop! Here's the second chapter already!**

**Ichigo: Woah. She's really into this one...**

**Me: I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

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My Journey, My Story

Chapter 2: Enter, My Own Sweet Spirit!

"No no no!" I panic, waving my arms around. If Michael were here, he'd laugh at me, telling me I look like a windmill. "What do I do?"

"Okay... Um," Hana purses her lips together to think. "Okay, tomorrow's lesson is to make a sweet using chocolate. It will be judged on creativity, taste and the chocolate itself."

I stop my panicking. "Did you say chocolate?" I say, rocking back and forth on my feet. If it was a chocolate sweet, I could totally win!

"Yeah," Hana continues, holding up a finger she says, "Sensei said so this afternoon after classes."

"I can totally win now!" I cheer, placing my hands on my hips.

Hana stares at me, "What's with the sudden confidence boost?"

Smiling proudly, I say, "My Dad's a chocolate master! He taught me everything I need to know. I'll just ask him for one of his recipes and I should be just fine! They taste amazing, so taste is no problem. Plus, I can make chocolate, easy." Jumping up and down, I turn on my heel to run back to the dorm to call my Dad.

"Hold it!" Hana moans, grabbing my wrist. She looks as though she isn't comfortable with my idea. I'm not sure why though, it's an amazing idea.

"What's wrong?" I ask, tugging my arm impatiently, I just wanted to get started.

"You're getting a mark on creativity Lynne-chan," Hana reminds me, "You can't use a recipe. You have to make your own."

Now I panic. Again. I don't know a thing about making recipes. Trying to think of anything my parents taught me about making their own recipes, but my mind turn up blank. "I don't know anything about creating a recipe!" I moan. "What do I do? What do I do?" I spin around in circles around Hana and she tries to calm me down.

"Okay, just... Calm down. Go to the kitchens and practise. Try everything until you make your own recipe," Hana's face is agitated and I can tell she's trying to think fast. I feel almost sorry for her. My Mom and Dad always told me I was just too hyperactive for my own good.

"Sorry Hana-chan," I say sheepishly, "I get a little over excited..."

She sighs and claps her hand on my shoulder, "It's okay Lynne-chan. Here, I'll help you out. I've got a book on chocolate recipes. You can probably base your own recipe on one of the ones in the book."

"That's a great idea!" I smile. "Thanks for all the help Hana-chan, I honestly couldn't do this without you..."

"You're welcome," Hana smiles. I think she could already be my best friend. "Come on, the book is in the room, let's go get it."

XxXxX

I race to the kitchen with Hana's book in my hand. The sun is already setting. I can't believe I've been here for already a day.

Seeing the kitchen classroom, I stop in my tracks. The building is absolutely massive. There are huge windows on the side of the building and I can see into the many kitchen classrooms. It's even better than I imagined. The counters are made of charcoal coloured marble and the tiles are a shiny linoleum. Each kitchen has about a million cupboards. I can only imagine what kind of ingredients and tools must be hiding behind those wooden doors. The fridge is industrial sized, like the one my parents have at their shop. There are two ovens, stacked one on top of the other. So many different settings, you can bake almost anything.

My eyes widen in delight. I can't wait to start baking! I follow the wall to the front door of the building and push the door open.

"Hm..." Something says behind me. I turn around, but all I can see is a little pink butterfly. Shrugging it off, I walk inside. The corridor is cold and my new outfit, a purple T-shirt and blue jeans, is not enough to keep my warm. I rub my arms, it's like the air conditioner is on. Each practise room has a number labelled on it. It goes from 1 all the way to 15. Stopping at each door, I wonder which one I should choose to work in.

Thinking about it for a moment, I decide to go into practise room 3. 3 is my lucky number and it hasn't failed me, ever. So, I retrace my steps back to practise room 3. Slamming open the door, I yell loudly to myself, "ALRIGHT! HERE I..." I freeze when I see who's in there, "Urk!" I gasp, my mouth open wide.

Himoto is already in there. His back is to me, so I'm not sure if he knows who's at the door. I really hope for once, my voice isn't distinctive. It seems my lucky number has failed me.

"Oi, get in and close the door already," Himoto says blankly, "You're letting all the cold air in."

"Oh, s-sorry," I stammer, "I'll just go somewhere else..." I am about to get the heck out of there, but Himoto turns around and catches sight of me.

"Oh, it's you... Kashino," He rolls his eyes and turns back around. For some reason, that makes me angry.

"HEY!" I yell, coming up to him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

I look over his shoulder, to see what he's doing. He pushes me away, "What are you doing?"

"Excuse me for trying to see," I say stubbornly, "I actually don't have very good far sighted vision."

Himoto snorts, "I can tell."

I shove him by the shoulder, "What's that supposed to mean? You're so RUDE!"

He retaliates by pushing me back, "I'm rude? You barged in here without permission AND tried to see what I was doing without asking me first!"

"Well..." I try to argue back, but what he's saying is true. I didn't actually ask permission first. "W-well, kitchens are free for anyone to use. I don't need to ask you if I can come in!"

"Yeah," He says, sticking out his tongue at me, "But that doesn't mean you can snoop on my practise. You're just trying to see what you have to compete with tomorrow, aren't you?"

"No!" I roar, "I'm not that cheap!" Mom and Dad taught me to always try hard. Plus, cheating was never a good thing. As they always say, cheaters never win and winners never cheat.

Sighing, Himoto stops arguing. It's the usual thing with me. Eventually, people get tired of arguing with me. After all, I never back down. My brothers know that first hand. They almost never win an argument with me.

"So um... I'm just going to go over there," I say, pointing to another workstation.

"Whatever," Himoto grumbles, turning his back on me. "Just don't get in my way. Or else you'll be sorry."

I saunter over to the other workspace and slam the cook book that Hana gave me onto the counter loudly. I giggle a little when I see Himoto flinch slightly.

Meanwhile, the pink butterfly I saw earlier is floating outside the window. Is it following me or something? Seriously, it seems to be everywhere I go. Sitting down on one of the stools, I open up the cookbook to its table of contents.

There are so many different recipes to base mine on, it's crazy. Chocolate puddings, cakes, brownies, fudge. All the ideas make my mouth water. Himoto brushes past me. Using his finger, he trails it up my spine, making me jump up, screaming. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" I yell loudly.

He smirks at me. That smirk just makes me want to hit him so hard. But my parents always told me hitting others was wrong, ever since I hit Dylan across the face when we were small. "You look like a pig when you make that face."

"What...?" I begin to say, but he already goes out the door. Slamming it, probably to get back at me for slamming the book. I realize that he meant I looked like a glutton when I had my mouth watering, and it sends me into fury again. "Stupid Himoto!" I yell to no one. Raising my fist in the air, I shout aloud, "I'm going to beat you in tomorrow's competition! I'll do whatever it takes!" Sighing and realizing screaming will get me nowhere, I look down at the book again. I need to pick a recipe and fast. I have to learn it and then make it my own.

"Maybe chocolate cheesecake..." I say to myself.

"I like you!" A little voice exclaims in my ear. My eyes widen and I turn around in alarm. No one's there. I am seriously a little spooked out.

"W-who ever you are!" I stutter, scared, "Y-you'd better show yourself right now!"

"I'm right here silly!" The voice is coming from in front of me now. I turn around and see the pink butterfly. No way. A butterfly can't talk. That's seriously a stupid idea... "Hey! Look at me!"

I gasp. The butterfly really is talking. Have I fallen asleep in the kitchen? Am I dreaming? This is one odd dream... Suddenly, the butterfly starts glowing and I shield my eyes.

With a pop, the light stops and I open my eyes. A little fairy is standing on the counter in place of the pink butterfly. She's got bright blue eyes and pale skin. Her hair is in curly blonde ringlets and she's got a big pink strawberry clip fastened to sit atop her head. She's wearing a frilly pink dress with magenta ruffles at the bottom. A white apron is tied around her neck and flows down the middle of the dress, ending just above the ruffles. A single strawberry pin is attached to the apron. The little fairy is holding a golden spoon. "W-what... Who are you?" I ask. This is so weird.

"Bonjour Lynne-chan!" She says sweetly, bowing, "It's a pleasure!"

"T-the pleasure is all mine..." I reply slowly. Still unable to comprehend the situation, "What are you?"

She points to herself, "Me?" I nod silently and she bounces up and flies in the air. She's almost sitting on my nose when she says, "Why, I'm a sweet spirit!"

My eyes widen, okay, it's official. I must be dreaming. "Sweet spirit?" I say, in awe.

"My name is 'Fraise'," The sweet spirit now known as Fraise says.

"You look... So familiar," I say, confused. She does seem really familiar. Like I've seen her before...

Fraise taps a finger to her chin, "Well... You might have saw my mother."

"M-mother?" I repeat. Sweet spirits had mothers too?

"Well," Fraise stops flying to stand on top of the counter. "You're Kashino Ichigo's daughter am I right?"

"H-how..." I feel dazed. I mean, this has to be a dream. Hana told me the legend, but a legend never really comes true, does it? "How did you know that?" I ask.

"My mother is your mom's sweet spirit," Fraise grins, "We look really similar, except for our outfits. So maybe you saw your mother's sweet spirit." She fiddles with her spoon, looking for something.

"Who's your Mom?" I wonder, watching her look through the top of her spoon for something.

She smiles and coos softly, "Vanilla." She turns her spoon around so I can see what's being displayed on it. It's a picture of my mother as a teenager and there is a sweet spirit sitting on her shoulder. She looks exactly like Fraise. Except, this sweet spirit has a pink bow and no strawberries on her outfit.

"Usually," Fraise continues, "You can't see sweet spirits until you have your own and they grant you that power. So I was surprised that you could see me as I followed you in disguise as a butterfly."

I narrow my eyes at her, "So you really were following me..."

Fraise giggles nervously and rubs the back of her neck. "You reminded me of my mom's partner, so I thought you would be a good partner for me. I told Mom about you and it just so happens you're her partner's daughter."

"Such an odd coincidence," I say, still staring at her. It's so weird. Mom had a sweet spirit and now so do I. "Does... Does that mean you want to be my partner?" I ask, poking her with my index finger.

"Hey, cut that out!" She yelps, dodging my next attempts to prod her with my finger, "Of course!"

"So that means... You can make my dreams come true?" A smile breaks out on my face.

"Your dream is to be an accomplished Patissiere right?" Fraise swings her spoon around and lays it on her shoulder. "I can totally help you with that!"

"Yes!" I cheer, clapping my hands together, "I'm sure we can be great partners Fraise."

She jumps up and floats in mid-air, "Oui!" Settling herself on my shoulder, she asks, "So, what are you working on?"

"I need to make a chocolate sweet for tomorrow's class," I tell her, flipping through the pages of the book, "And I need to get a better mark than Himoto. I was being hasty and agreed to a competition..."

"Himoto... Kazuye?" Fraise asks hesitantly. I'm shocked that she knows his name.

Pausing my page flipping, I ask her, "How do you know that?"

"Well, he's top of his class," Fraise shrugs, "And a master at chocolate."

"M-master..." I pause to think. He really does sound like my dad. "How am I supposed to beat him now?" I mumble gloomily.

"Cheer up Lynne!" Fraise assures me, "We'll make the best chocolate sweet ever! You and me!"

I smile at her and nod, "Alright! Let's get started."

XxXxX

"Ow!" I yelp, whipping my hand away from the pot of chocolate I've been stirring. Just like my mother, I'm too clumsy for my own good.

"Be more cautious," Fraise says, looking up from the strawberries she's washing, "Take your time and don't rush."

I nod and go back to work, "Right..."

After a long discussion, Fraise and I have finally decided. For class tomorrow, I'm going to make a chocolate cupcake. It's not going to be any normal cupcake though. I'm going to hollow it out and put cream cheese frosting inside. Followed by more cream cheese icing on the top, plus a big fresh strawberry for decoration.

"This is going to be good!" I exclaim happily, mixing the chocolate into the cupcake batter.

"I sure hope so," Fraise smiles nervously. "You... You are a better baker than your mother was when she first transferred, right?"

Laughing, I begin stirring the batter. Using the cut and fold technique my Dad taught me. "Guess you've heard the stories too huh? Unlike Mom, I've come prepared to this school. I took the entrance exam and got placed into A Group right on the bat. Mom and Dad have been teaching me everything there is to know about baking since I was 8 years old."

"That's good," Fraise breathes a sigh of relief, "You can pull off this recipe then. It's fairly easy."

Pouring the batter into the cupcake pans, which are lined with cute paper cups, decorated with pink swirls, I nod. "I just wonder what Himoto is making," I say sadly, "I really hope I can outshine him with this."

"Hm, wasn't he working here a while ago?" Fraise asks, turning off the faucet and using magic to set the strawberries on the counter.

"Yeah," I grumble. Just the thought of his presence makes me feel moody. "Over there."

Fraise flies over and gasps, "Look! Lynne, he left something."

"Eh?" I drawl blandly. Putting the cupcakes into the oven, I walk over and see what she's talking about. Sitting on the counter is a bowl with a simple, small chocolate cake inside. A little note, written with messy handwriting sits beside it. _"This is what you were trying to see, BAKA."_

I narrow my eyes at the note. Picking it up, I scrunch it into a ball and toss it into the garbage. "What do you think it is Fraise?"

"Hm," She floats above it, "I don't know." Prodding it with her finger, she says, "It's probably been here for a while. It's cold."

"I wonder why he left it there..." I say. Himoto confuses me. First, he doesn't want me to see what he's making and later, he leaves it out for me.

Fraise mumbles something and her spoon begins to brighten. Tapping the spoon to the sweet, it glows for a second before stopping. "What did you do?" I ask her. Staring at the pastry, it doesn't look any different.

"I returned it to its original, out of the oven condition," She replies lightly, as if it's no big deal. Using her magic, she gets a spoon from the drawer and hands it to me. "Why don't you taste it?"

"He probably poisoned it..." I grumble. But the sweet smell of chocolate fills my nose, and I can't resist. I cut the pastry in half with the spoon. Liquid chocolate begins seeping out of the cake and I drop the spoon in surprise. "Woah!"

Fraise studies it, "Just as I thought."

"What is it?" I ask her, spooning up some of it and putting it in my mouth. The cake is so soft and spongy, it's like feathers. The liquid chocolate is smooth and sweet, yet bitter at the same time. A perfect contrast to the sweet cake. "He knows tempering..." I whisper in awe. Even I can't do that yet.

"It's a chocolate lava cake," Fraise says. Dipping her finger in the chocolate and taking a sample, she concludes, "And it's very well done."

A worried look takes over my face. "Are you okay Lynne?" She asks.

There's no way I can compete with this. My cupcake idea seems sad in comparison. "We have to change our recipe idea," I say, dropping the empty bowl into the sink.

"Eh?" Fraise floats over to me, but I'm already going to back to the cookbook, "Why? Your idea is great!"

"But Himoto's is better!" I reply sadly, "There's no way my cupcake will stand a chance." She's about to say something, but I don't let her.

"Come on Fraise, we've got all night. Let's get to it," I tell her stubbornly.

"I think your idea is fine, as long as your feelings are in the sweets, that's all that matters. No amount of technique can ever replace that," Fraise assures me, "You need a good night's rest if you want to be any good tomorrow."

She's saying more but I'm already frantically looking through the recipe book. I can't let Himoto beat me. I just can't.

* * *

**Me: And there you have it! The second chapter to My Journey, My Story! What do you think is going to happen next? ;)**

**Kashino: I still can't believe you already updated...**

**Me: As much as I'd like to say "I TOLD YOU I CAN UPDATE FAST." I can't. After this, I probably won't update as quickly. I hopefully want to publish a chapter a week, but I'll see where that goes...**

**Kashino: I knew it was too good to be true...**

**Me: ...**

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!**

**1. Princess of the god**

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	3. Himoto, The Chocolate Devil?

**Kashino: WHERE IS THE REAL MIKASHI? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?**

**Me: What are you talking about?**

**Kashino: T-this... This is impossible! How can you be updating this... AGAIN?**

**Me: I really like this story...**

**Kashino: I can't understand. You're updating every day! This... It just doesn't make sense.**

**Me: ... Thanks for your support.**

**ANYWAY, I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 3: Himoto, the Chocolate Devil?

"HOLD IT!" Fraise yells loudly. She stands on the cookbook, so I am unable to flip the page.

"Hey!" I exclaim, trying to forcefully turn the page. Unfortunately, sweet spirits are heavier than they look. I try to take hold of her and move her aside, but Fraise dodges every attempt.

She narrows her eyes, it makes her look somewhat dangerous, "You weren't listening to anything I said!"

"I know," I ramble trying to poke her off the book. She doesn't budge.

"Let me repeat," Fraise says slowly. I tap my fingers on the counter impatiently. "You're idea is fine. All you need to do is practise and perfect it. Who cares if Himoto is making a lava cake? He probably set it out to scare you off or make you overwork yourself!"

It's funny. If I actually listen to what people have to say half the time, I could learn a lot. Go figure. "Well... I guess that's true," I lay a hand on the counter, "But what if I don't beat Himoto tomorrow?"

"Trust me!" Fraise grins happily, finally hopping off the recipe book, "If you put your feelings into the sweet, it'll taste a lot better. Himoto may have technique, but he sure doesn't have the feelings."

"Right," I begin to get excited. Raising my fist in the air, I cheer, "THAT'S RIGHT! I'll beat Himoto for sure!" Lowering my voice, I grin somewhat scarily at Fraise. She jumps back. "I'll squash him like a bug."

Laughing nervously, Fraise sits on my shoulder, "Let's not get carried away..."

The oven bell goes off and I turn. "Oh, I almost forgot about the cupcakes," scratching the back of my neck, I pull a set of oven mitts over my hands and take the cupcakes out. Setting them on the cooling rack, I prod one carefully. I do not need a burn on my finger. Pressing down softly on the top of one of the cupcakes, it feels very squishy and sinks in, although, when I take my finger off, it rises again. "Hm, I think they're soft," I tell Fraise.

"It seems so," She grins, "Good job Lynne!"

I smile proudly, "Thank you! Should we get a start on the cream cheese frosting now?"

Fraise nods excitedly, "Of course!" She flies over to the fridge, trying to open the door. She's obviously too small for such a task, so I laugh and open the door for her.

Standing on my tiptoes, I reach for the cream cheese kept on the top shelf. I'm short for my age, much like my dad was. So, I need Fraise to go in and push it forward so I can grab it. I set the block of cream cheese down on the counter and get the butter from the middle shelf.

"Hey Lynne," Fraise pokes me in the shoulder, "I had an idea..."

I begin peeling the wrapper off the block of butter, "What's your idea Fraise?" She sits on top of the cream cheese and says, "What if you added dark chocolate to your icing? It would contrast the milk chocolate cupcakes nicely. Of course, it's also more creativity points."

"Hm," I tap my index finger on my lips, "That's true. We should try that."

Rummaging through one of the drawers, I take out a knife so I can cut the butter into pieces. I'm about to do so, when someone says something from behind me.

"Oi, you know you have to wait for that to soften, right?"

I stop in my tracks and turn around. Himoto is standing behind me. His face is like a mask, he has no expression what so ever. He's wearing an oversized maroon hoodie which makes him look a lot smaller and less intimidating. Although, his arms are crossed, so I don't know what to make of his body language.

"What are you doing here?" I ask curtly, avoiding his question.

"Forgot this," He says casually, taking a small black notebook out of his hoodie pocket. "And you're avoiding my question."

"Well," I grumble, "I'm strong. It doesn't matter if it isn't soft yet. I can still cut it."

Still expressionless, Himoto sighs and points at me. "It doesn't matter if you're strong, you can't bake with butter that isn't room temperature."

He thinks he knows everything. I swear, what right does he have to tell me anything? I can do whatever I think is right. Plus, he thinks he can just walk in and I'll listen to everything he says. "Who says I can't?" I spit back.

"I thought it was basic knowledge," Himoto shrugs and continues, his tone sarcastic, "Didn't your parents ever teach you better? I thought they were supposed to be professional."

Now I'm mad. How dare he talk about my parents that way? It's not that easy to start a sweets shop on almost nothing. Sure, Henri-sensei had given them money, but it wasn't like he was rich. They had opened a sweets shop in Marie's Garden in Japan. Even opened one in England, a country they were completely foreign to. How dare he say my parents aren't professional?

"They ARE professional," I say, my voice low and angry. "What is your problem?"

He rolls his eyes, "Come on. I'm only trying to help you. If you use butter that isn't already at room temperature, it won't turn out as well."

"Why should you care? Just leave me alone!" My face is red. I'm angry. He has no right to say he's trying to help me. He's only trying to show me that he thinks he's smarter than me. That he's better than me.

"If you haven't already noticed," Himoto says, a bitter tone in his voice, "We're in the same group. If you fail, the whole group will fail. Don't throw away all of our hard work because of your stupid screw ups."

Now he's just crossed the line. I've worked so hard to get here. Ever since I was small, I've been dreaming of being here. I strived hard for this. I even studied for it. My parents led me at first, but soon I did it by myself. I'm not a screw up. I didn't get here on nothing. "Your hard work?" I say, my voice shaking with anger. I'm shaking all over. No one has ever made me this angry before. "What about mine? You don't know how hard I worked to get here! Maybe I do have famous parents, but that doesn't mean the babied me my whole life!"

Why does he make me so mad? Why should I care what he says? But I can't stop. He's only getting what he deserves. "You're probably just a stuck up, rich kid! Your parents probably paid a lot of money just so they would let you in!"

Himoto flinches slightly. As if I've touched a weak spot. "..." He steps forward to me, "I get it Kashino; you just believe whatever you want. I don't care." He grips me by the collar of my shirt, "But understand this, if you're only here to mess around. Get lost. I don't need people like you weighing me or any of my friends down."

I am frozen in shock. "I..." I try to say something. But I can't. Why can't I? Himoto is staring at me with such intensity. Maybe I did go a little too far. But he was making me angry, so it was only fair... Right?

He lets go of me and takes a step back. "You'd better be ready for tomorrow Kashino, because I swear; I'm not going easy on you." He smirks, "I'm not even making that lava cake tomorrow."

My jaw drops. He tricked me! Now I have no idea what he's going to do. And yet, I now know all the skills he possesses. Himoto's face seems to have a dark shadow across it. He stares at me and I'm surprised to see hurt and frustration in his eyes. "And for your information, I don't have any parents."

I feel like I've just been pushed over. "I..." I'm trying to say something. I just can't. Himoto begins stalking off, leaving me standing there stupidly. He kicks open the door and it flies open, slamming against the wall. Walking out, he shuts the door and it echoes with a bang. I'm still frozen in shock. What does he mean he has no parents?

"Lynne...?" Fraise's voice echoes in my head. I know she's calling me, but too many thoughts are filling in my head. What exactly happened to Himoto's family?

XxXxX

"Lynne..." Fraise flies up in front of my face. "Don't let him discourage you. Just keep going!"

I shake my head, "I-it's not that," I say slowly, trying to choose my words carefully. "W-what did he mean when he said he has no parents?"

"I'm not sure," Fraise says slowly, "But don't let that bother you." She floats over the butter and taps it with her spoon. "There, the butter is at room temperature now. Next time, we'll take it out in advance. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you."

I nod, but I'm still dazed. No matter how hard I try, I can't forget the look on Himoto's face when he told me he has no parents. So much hurt and frustration. Why?

XxXxX

"There!" I cheer happily, "All finished!" The cupcakes are finished. Each cupcake is a nice deep brown. It's piled high with dark chocolate cream cheese frosting and has a huge sugar glazed strawberry sitting on top. Inside, there is a generous amount of frosting being used as a filling.

"They're beautiful Lynne!" Fraise says. She waves her spoon over the multitude of cupcakes. "Sweets Romance Card!" She begins moving her spoon in a stirring motion and pink glitter forms into the shape of a card with a picture of the one of the cupcakes on it. The card zips up and flies into the portrait of the Sweets Queen hanging on the wall.

"What was that?" I ask, staring at Fraise with wide eyes.

She smiles, "Just sending your recipe to the Sweets Queen. Let's hope she likes it!"

My heart flutters. The Queen of Sweets is going to see my recipe? It makes me feel so special. Yawning, I tell Fraise, "Let's call it a night. I'm getting tired."

She agrees and we head back to the dorms. Hana-chan is already sleeping, so I try my best to be quiet. Although, I'm not very good at it. Slipping into bed, Fraise lies beside me. I turn off the lamp and the room is immersed into darkness. Soon, Fraise begins snoring beside me. But my mind keeps wandering.

Who is Himoto anyway? Why doesn't he have any parents? I think of my own family. My Mom and My Dad, who have always guided me and taught me the right thing to do. Who inspired my dreams and helped me get closer and closer to them. I can't imagine living without my parents. I'd feel empty and alone. My parents are one of the most important things to me. I'd be almost nothing without them.

My eyelids feel heavy and start closing. Is that how Himoto feels every day? Why do I care anyway? Right before I slip into sleep's grasp, I think, _why should I care? He's just a chocolate devil._

XxXxX

The next day, I wake up bright and early for my first day of classes. Unlike my mom, who was apparently a sleepy head and never woke up in the mornings, I inherited my dad's sleeping patterns. He told me stories about waking up at 6 in the morning just to practise his tempering. It's admirable. I wake up at 7 and take my time to get ready for classes. Lucky for me, baking is my first class of the day. Which is amazing, I'm just reluctant about the competition between me and Himoto.

At precisely 8:20, I arrive in the kitchen classroom. I'm wearing the baking uniform every student gets. Like my mom taught me, I put my strawberry blonde hair in two little buns, much like she did when she was my age. I tell Fraise to hide in my pocket so no one will notice her.

I look around for the teacher. Mom told me every new student must introduce themselves, so I'm looking for the teacher to ask her when I should.

"Lynne-chan?" I look up. To my surprise, Aunt Lemon is standing in front of me.

"Lemon-chan?" I gasp excitedly. Aunt Lemon is a very sweet woman. She loves me to bits and pieces. I'd like to help her out when she helped my parents with their shop, so we became very close. So close, we were on a first name basis. But, after a while, she felt it was time for her to leave the shop to follow her own path. I haven't really seen her since.

"I work here as a baking teacher!" Aunt Lemon says happily, "And I've gotten assigned to your class! I'll keep good watch on you."

I blush, "Did my Dad tell you to?"

Aunt Lemon blinks, surprised, "Is your father that predictable?"

With a straight face, I reply by saying simply, "Yes."

Laughing, Aunt Lemon says, "Well, for school, I'll need you to call me 'Yamagishi-sensei' okay?"

Pausing to let the name stick into my head, I finally answer, "Yes Yamagishi-sensei."

"Good," She grins and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Class is about to start, I'll be telling the class we have a new student, then you can walk in and introduce yourself."

Bouncing up and down excitedly, I say, "Okay!"

XxXxX

Listening through the door, I hear Aunt Lemon address the class. "Okay class, before we begin today's lesson. I'd like to introduce our new student. She's a very bright girl and I hope you all treat her well."

Taking that as my cue, I walk into the room. Class 1-A stares back at me with curious eyes. "Um..." I say hesitantly, "My name is Kashino Lynne; it's a pleasure to be here." I bow politely and wait for a reaction.

One girl finally asks aloud, "Kashino? Could you be Kashino Makoto and Kashino-Amano Ichigo's daughter?"

The class stirs with excitement. I blush at the attention, "Y-yes, I am."

"Wow!" A bunch of girls exclaim. I really didn't think I was that impressive, but I guess so. Hana-chan gives me a wave from her station, so I wave back.

"Kashino-chan will be in A Group," Aunt Lemon says. "I'm sure you're already acquainted with each other, but A Group, please raise your hand to show Kashino-chan where you are."

More whispers erupt in the class, "A Group? No doubt she's a Kashino."

"I wonder if her skills are like her dad's or like her mom's..."

"Let's hope she doesn't screw up like her mom did first day."

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun raise their hands to show me where the workstation is. Himoto doesn't even seem interested. He's instead looking at me with a blank expression, yet I can feel like there's fury being directed at me too.

Nervously, I walk over and decide to stand between Isho-kun and Komanda-kun. "Welcome to A Group," Komanda-kun says, smiling at me, "Well, officially of course."

Aunt Lemon walks by us, "A Group, please introduce yourselves to Kashino-chan please."

Isho-kun takes my hand. I blush a little, I'm not used to boys being flirts. My brothers were never like that and no boys really were interested in me at my old school. "We've met before Lynne-chan, but my name is Isho Hiro. I specialize in candy, especially making it into art." He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles, "If you ever need help, I'll be happy to assist you."

"Um..." I say sheepishly, "T-thank you."

He lets go and Komanda-kun bows politely at me, "Hello Kashino-chan," He says. His tone of voice is very sweet and calm, "As you know, my name is Komanda Aito. Please feel free to ask me if you ever need assistance."

Aunt Lemon smiles, "I'll just leave you to finish introductions." She begins to walk away and I wish she would stay. I really don't want to be alone talking to Himoto. Even if Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are still here.

"Ka-kun," Komanda-kun says, looking at Himoto. I stifle laughter. Ka-kun? It's too similar. Uncle Andou used to call dad 'Ma-kun' because his name is 'Makoto'. Himoto's name is 'Kazuye' and Komanda-kun calls him 'Ka-kun'? It's such a strange coincidence. "Introduce yourself to Kashino-chan."

I turn to him and smile smugly. He stares at me, his eyes filled with an emotion I've never seen before. "Himoto Kazuye," He says dryly. "Are you ready for our competition?" He asks. Unlike the others, he doesn't even say he's there to assist me. It makes me feel prickly inside.

"Of course I am," I snap defensively, "I didn't stay all evening in the kitchen for nothing."

He looks angry. Maybe I shouldn't have brought up last night. "Whatever," He replies snidely.

Aunt Lemon begins talking from the front of the classroom about today's lesson. So our conversation is over. After she's done explaining, it's time for me to show everyone what I've got. It's time to make my double chocolate cupcakes.

XxXxX

As soon as I put the cupcakes in the oven, I glance over to see what Himoto is doing. To my surprise, he's tempering. I knew he could do it, I know from the texture his cake had. But seeing him do it is a different story. He's movements are so smooth and refined. He really is just like my dad.

"Oi," He says, stopping abruptly. Startled, I take a step back. He lowers his eyes, "Stop staring."

After that, I stop looking.

XxXxX

"All done!" I cheer to myself. The finished cupcakes sit sweetly on the cooling rack. They look exactly like they did last night. Pleased with myself, I turn to Isho-kun and Komanda-kun. They both smile at me.

"Excellent Lynne-chan," Isho-kun assures me.

Aunt Lemon passes by with a clipboard in her hands, "Okay A Group. Show me what you've got."

This is it. When Aunt Lemon gives both me and Himoto a grade, the competition will be over. First, Aunt Lemon grades Isho-kun and Komanda-kun. They get excellent scores. I can only expect that much from them. They were placed in the A Group after all.

Aunt Lemon goes over to Himoto. His pastry is under a cover. I haven't seen it yet. My heart beats fast. To some degree, I'm excited to see what he's come up with, but at the same time, I'm dreading his score.

Pulling off the cover, Himoto stares directly at me. Probably to see my reaction. I gasp, it's so beautiful. It's a slice of layered chocolate cake. I can tell just by how it looks, what each layer is. There are 3 different layers. One, is a normal chocolate cake. It looks very spongy, which must mean it's very soft. The second is a chocolate cream, most likely the chocolate he was tempering earlier. It has a light hue, so I suspect it's milk chocolate to contrast the dark chocolate cake. Third is a white cream, most likely white chocolate. I'm amazed. He used all 3 of the types of chocolate.

It's official. I'm screwed.

Aunt Lemon takes a bite and instantly smiles. "Perfect! Exactly what I'd expect from you Himoto-san."

I hold my breath, waiting for his score. "98%!" Aunt Lemon chirps. My heart sinks, no way can I compete with a 98%!

Aunt Lemon comes over to me and smiles at my cupcakes. "Very cute Kashino-chan." She peels off the paper cup and takes a bite. Chewing slowly, she swallows. I'm not sure whether or not she's pleased.

"Very nice," She says. I cross my fingers while awaiting my score. Himoto is also staring at Aunt Lemon intensely.

Aunt Lemon tells me my score and my mouth drops. Himoto looks stunned, unable to comprehend what she's just said.

That's insane.

Aunt Lemon looks to both of us, "Are you okay?" She stares at me, puzzled, "Is something wrong with a 98%?"

I shake my head. Looking to Himoto, I can see a storm brewing in his mind.

We... We tied?

* * *

**Me: As you can see, I've changed it so even when she's not speaking, Lynne calls Isho and Komanda with a '-kun' suffix. I thought it just sounded more natural that way.**

**Ichigo: I can't believe this... Such fast updates...**

**Me: Believe it. Although, I'm sure it'll slow down at some point...**

**Thank you for the reviews! **

**1. Lusaay**

**2. RomanceAnimer**

**3. StrawberryDream15**

**4. The girl-A**

**5. Aoi Kobayashi**

**6. Kitsune Jackson**

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	4. Alert, Stormy Weather Ahead!

**Me: I'm back!**

**Ichigo: I'm kind of getting used to this now...**

**Me: Well, today I'm publishing a little early, I usually publish at 9, but for today... I'll publish now. I have plans this evening. Hehe...**

**Kashino: Mikashi doesn't own Yumeiro Patissiere.**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 4: Alert, Stormy Weather Ahead!

How could we tie? I didn't really think that was possible. I look to Himoto and he looks quite scary. It's almost like he has a storm brewing in his eyes. "Yamagishi-sensei," He says slowly. I can tell he's trying not yell at Aunt Lemon. Even if he is a devil, he has the common sense not to be rude towards a teacher. "Why... Why does she get THAT score?"

Aunt Lemon looks confused. No matter, she goes into her explanation. Setting down the cupcake, she says, "Today's lesson was to use chocolate, correct?"

Himoto nods slightly. I quietly giggle to myself. He's too frustrated to speak.

"You were judged on creativity," Aunt Lemon counts her fingers, "taste and your skill of using and making chocolate." She then points to my cupcake, "Have you tried one of Kashino-chan's cupcakes?"

"No," He replies shortly. Staring at them, he finally answers, "They look like boring old chocolate cupcakes to me."

Aunt Lemon holds up a finger, "That's where you're wrong. Inside each of Kashino-chan's cupcakes, there is dark chocolate cream cheese frosting. It contrasts with the semi-sweet milk chocolate cupcake, which I think, is worth points in both creativity and taste."

Himoto is not pleased. "But... How can her score be the same as mine?" Why can't he let it go? It's not like he even lost.

"Well," Aunt Lemon ponders her thoughts for a moment. "Your cake was very impressive Himoto-san, you used the three kinds of chocolate, which earns points in skill of using and making chocolate. I can tell by its texture, that you know how to temper chocolate." An emotion passes Himoto's eyes. Maybe, pride?

"Your creativity is at the top too," Aunt Lemon continues, "Your idea to use all 3 types of chocolate is truly remarkable."

There's this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. So what was wrong with the cake? I look at it; its appearance is beautiful and elegant. It was creative and I know firsthand that Himoto's chocolate skills are at the top. So why was his score not perfect?

"But," Aunt Lemon says slowly, "Even with your technique, your pastry was weak in taste." Himoto seems a little taken a back, but doesn't say anything. "When you taste Kashino-chan's sweet, you can feel her emotions and her feelings in it. Your pastry seemed a little robotic and lacked the flavour of feeling."

"... Okay," He says, painfully slow. He's really trying hard not to lose his temper.

"All in all," Aunt Lemon smiles, "Well done A Group." Then, she saunters off to another table to grade another group.

I smirk playfully, "Neh Himoto?"

He glares at me with his arms crossed, "What?" He snaps bitterly.

"I'm better that you thought, aren't I?" At times like this, it's always fun to rub things into people's face. It's a habit I can't help, even if my parents told me it's wrong to do.

Moodily, Himoto replies, "I guess. It's just a fluke. I know for a fact that you already know Yamagishi-sensei. She's probably going soft on you." He stares at me, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"Urk!" I take a step back. No matter what, he always finds a way to push on every single one of my nerves.

"Now now," Komanda-kun says, "It was just a little healthy competition. It's in the past now."

Isho-kun nods in agreement, taking my hand, he asks, "Now, Lynne-chan, may I have the pleasure in trying one of your cupcakes?"

"Um..." I stammer sheepishly, "Of course."

Isho-kun takes one of the 11 cupcakes left, peeling off the foil, he takes a bite. "It's very good Lynne-chan," He beams happily at me. My heart flutters, so the cupcakes are really good. Not just Aunt Lemon thinks so.

Komanda-kun asks me if he can try one as well. I allow him and he too gives me a positive review. Finishing his cupcake, Komanda-kun says to Himoto, "Ka-kun, why don't you try one?"

"No," He replies stubbornly. He's sketching into that black notebook he showed me yesterday. His face is blank, but I can tell he's still stuck on the competition's results.

"Now Himoto," Isho-kun says, "Don't you think you owe Lynne-chan that much? She did tie you fair and square."

Sighing loudly, he finally extends his hand out. I'm confused for a second. "Well?" He asks me, his tone expressionless and flat, "Are you going to give me one or not?"

"R-right," I stutter squeakily. I take one of the cupcake and put it in his hand. Setting down his pencil and closing his book, Himoto rips off the foil and tastes the cupcake.

I watch closely, trying to see if there might be any sign of emotion. From observation, I notice that Himoto tends to keep his face blank to hide his emotions. But in the end, you can still tell what he's feeling from his eyes. Not that I stare at him of course.

There's a flicker in his eyes and he swallows. Setting down the cupcake, he opens his book again. My jaw drops. "Um... HELLO?" I say loudly, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

He looks up at me, "... Like what?"

Himoto really does now how to get me angry. "What did you think of the cupcake?" I ask, my voice escalating.

Smirking a little he replies, "The cupcake wasn't soft. It was really packed together; it needs to be more airy. Your icing is too heavy and over powers the whole thing. The strawberries are already sweet without sugar glaze, so it makes for an only decoration kind of topping."

I blink, trying to take in all the things he said. He has more to say then Aunt Lemon did! "Urgh... You... You..." I can't think of something to say. "JERK!"

He's laughing to himself, I can see it. Himoto goes back to looking at his book. "Hey Himoto," Isho-kun says, "That wasn't very nice."

"I'm only telling her the truth," Himoto sighs and pockets his book. "If you baby her forever, she won't improve."

"Complimenting is not babying," Komanda-kun also comes to my defense. "Can't you be a little bit nice? If you're like this, soon you'll become bitter and no one will like you."

I have to admit, what Komanda-kun said was a little harsh. "Well I agree with Himoto!" A little voice exclaims. Himoto suddenly jerks in alarm. "Just because you're new doesn't mean everyone will favour you!"

My eyes widen. Himoto's front pocket begins moving. Something is kicking and screaming. It couldn't be...

Popping out of his pocket, a little spirit lands smoothly on the table. She has long blonde hair and brown eyes. She's wearing an orange dress with white hemming and a yellow apron on top. She has an orange lace head band on her head and she holds a golden fork, "You can't expect everyone to love you just because you're a new student," She says curtly, "Why don't you just take the criticism?"

"Well... Even when you say it like that..." I pout my lips at her.

The 3 boys' eyes widen at me. Himoto points to the little spirit, "Kashino... You can see her?"

XxXxX

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun stare at me. I feel my cheeks grow warm, "W-well, is something wrong with that?"

"No," Isho-kun replies, "But... Does that mean that Lynne-chan has a sweet spirit too?"

Fraise has impeccable timing. She jumps out of my pocket and sits atop my shoulder. "Oui!" She grins happily, looking at Isho-kun, "My name is Fraise."

"Well," Komanda-kun says, "I guess it's time everyone introduces themselves." So Himoto, Komanda-kun and Isho-kun all have sweet spirits?

A little spirit with short red hair is hiding behind Komanda-kun's neck. She has big emerald eyes and light skin. She's wearing a red dress with a white apron on top. She looks very shy. Komanda-kun smiles, "This is Raspberry," He reaches back and takes her by the wings. Raspberry squeaks quietly. Komada-kun sets her on the table. "She's a little shy."

"H-Hello," She whispers softly, "It's nice to meet you-desu."

I smile at her sweetly, "Aw, you're cute!"

The little spirit blushes pink, "U-um, thank you."

Isho-kun also introduces his sweets spirit. He has dark brown hair and green blue eyes; in fact, he looks a lot like Isho-kun does. He's wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves pushed up to the elbow. A blue tie is around his neck. "Bonjour," He says politely.

"This is Toffee," Isho-kun introduces.

"Hello," I wave my fingers at him.

He bows and says, "It's a pleasure to meet you mademoiselle." He's like a miniature Isho-kun. I turn to Himoto and his sweet spirit. He seems annoyed, most likely because we're distracted from him talking bad about my sweets.

"This is Kumquat," Himoto says plainly. Kumquat has an equally blank expression on her face. She reminds me of someone, though I'm not sure who.

She looks to Fraise and says, "So this is who you chose as a partner?" She rolls her eyes, "I thought you said you were waiting for someone special!"

Fraise jumps up to defend me, "She is special! Lynne is a very bright girl; did you see the score she got?"

"Simple by luck," Kumquat retorts with a shrug, "It's easy to see that her sweets lack standard."

"Why you!" Fraise yells, getting out her spoon. The two spirits are soon in a fight, clashing their spoon and fork angrily.

Finally, I ask Kumquat, "You look familiar, do I know you?" I pick up Fraise by the wings and she protests at me to let her down.

Kumquat sighs, "I would suspect you know my mother."

"Eh?" I say confusedly, why is it that I know all the sweets spirit's mothers?

"Your father," Kumquat continues, snapping her fingers to get my attention again, "He's my mom's partner."

Himoto raises an eyebrow, "What?"

"My mom, Chocolat," She says, rolling her eyes. She doesn't seem like the type of person who likes explaining. "She's Kashino Makoto's sweet spirit. It's her," Kumquat points at me, "Father."

I think back to when my father was baking. Sometimes I would imagine a fairy working beside him too, but I always thought that was my imagination. "My Dad has a sweet spirit too?" I knew because of Fraise that Mom has one, but I didn't realize Dad had one too.

"Of course," Kumquat says dryly, "Why wouldn't he? He's an accomplished patissier isn't he?"

"Well..." I stare at her, "But, your mom has brown hair." It is true. The fairy I'd see beside my Dad had long brown hair. Of course, Kumquat still looks a lot like her. The facial features of the two are the same. Plus, they have the same eyes.

"I get my hair colour from my Dad," Kumquat drawls on. Her tone implies she's bored and just wants to get the explanation over with. "Kasshi."

I guess it kind of makes sense now. Realizing I'm still pinching Fraise by the wings, I let go off her. She puffs up her cheeks and glares at me. "Don't ever do that again!" She stretches out her wings and lands on the table.

Kumquat looks at Fraise, "I know you were having trouble finding a partner, but did you really have to settle... For her?"

"I did not settle for her!" Fraise replies grouchily, "I chose her!"

Kumquat shrugs her shoulders and tosses her blond hair behind her, "Well, I guess gluttons attract each other."

"WHAT?" Both I and Fraise react at the same time. This spirit really doesn't like me; no doubt she's Himoto's spirit.

"Okay!" Aunt Lemon calls from the front of the room, "Class is over. I'd just like to briefly go over what we will do tomorrow."

I have to put my argument with Himoto's sweet spirit to a pause. Our group looks towards Aunt Lemon as she tells us. "Tomorrow's lesson will be a team effort," She says, "You are to create a cake that each fit your own personality and compliment your team mates' cake."

Oh no. A group assignment? I can't imagine working with Himoto. I'm perfectly fine with working with Isho-kun and Komanda-kun, but considering both Himoto and his spirit have this kind of hatred towards me, I'm a little sceptical.

"Okay, that's all," Aunt Lemon finishes. "Off to your next classes!"

"A group assignment?" Himoto growls moodily, "That's stupid."

Komanda-kun sighs and puts a hand on his shoulder, "Come on, you've got to be more open to others."

He rolls his eyes, "Whatever."

Isho-kun smiles at me, "So, we'd better all get together this afternoon so we can discuss what we're going to do."

Komanda agrees. So, we settle for 5:00 in the afternoon to meet back here. I wonder what kind of cake I can make to compliment my personality. Himoto isn't very happy. "More time with her?" He groans, "Just my luck."

I narrow my eyes at him, "It's not like I enjoy your company either."

XxXxX

Later, after classes, I go back to the dorms to drop off my stuff. Hana-chan is sitting on her bed, reading a book. "Hi Hana-chan!" I say cheerfully, dropping my book bag at the foot of my bed. I open my closet in search for another outfit to wear for my practise with the rest of my team members.

"Oh you're so lucky Lynne-chan!" She gushes, putting down her book.

I take out a pair of jeans and lay them out on the bed, "Eh? Why's that?"

"You're in the same group as the Sweet Princes!" She says; her tone airy and dreamy.

Sweet Princes? That's what they used to call Uncle Hanabusa, Uncle Andou and my Dad. I'm surprised that name is still around. "The Sweet Princes?" I ask her.

"Of course," Hana-chan continues, "Everyone knows them. First, there's Isho-kun, the candy art prince. His fingers are like magic, he can make candy into almost anything."

Okay. I knew that. The candy flowers from my first day were very impressive.

"Next is Komanda-kun," Hana giggles excitedly, "He specializes in classic sweets. Especially from Japan and France. He even tries to make sweets that use both cultures. It's something that's not easily done."

To me, it kind of sounds like Uncle Andou. Once, while Mom and Dad were visiting him, he showed me how he makes Japanese sweets. At the same time, he tries to fuse them with European sweets, especially from France.

"Lastly is Himoto-kun," Hana finishes. Himoto, a sweet prince? I laugh at that thought. He's more of a sweet devil if anything. "He specializes in chocolate. His skill in that area surpasses anyone else's in our grade."

Himoto really does remind me of Dad. He's top of class and a master of chocolate. Of course, Dad was forced to be top of class by his parents. If he didn't, he would be kicked out of school. But then again, Dad was smart enough to stay on top. Himoto must be smart too.

"And those are the 3 boys," Hana says sweetly, "That make up the Sweet Princes of St. Marie. You're so lucky to be friends with them!" She rubs the back of her neck, "I'm actually so jealous."

"Don't be," I laugh. I take out my pink striped long sleeve shirt and lay it on the bed, "Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are really nice. But you definitely don't want to be friends with Himoto."

"Eh..." Hana-chan sighs, "Why do you say that?"

"He's mean," I say, it comes to my head quite naturally. "And rude, stubborn, emotionless and bitter."

Hana-chan sweatdrops, "Well, I see you two get along..."

I hope she means that sarcastically. I take the clothes I've picked out and saunter into the bathroom. Coming out, I re-hang my uniform and put it in the closet. "I hope you were being sarcastic," I tell her, picking up my hair brush from my desk.

"I was," She assures me. I tie my strawberry blonde hair into a high ponytail. Hana-chan watches me sling my book bag over my shoulder. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I have to go meet the 'Sweet Princes' so we can work on tomorrow's assignment," I sigh. I really don't want to spend any more time with that devil Himoto. But, I can't let Isho-kun or Komanda-kun down.

"Oh, the one about cakes that fit your personality?" Hana-chan asks. She looks to the window; storm clouds are looming over head. "Hm... Are you sure you guys still want to get together? It looks like a storm's coming in."

"Oh whatever," I say casually, "It shouldn't take long. I guess I'll be back before it even starts."

"Okay..." Hana-chan agrees reluctantly. "Good luck!"

I smile and open the door. I'm going to need luck if I want to get through this alive.

XxXxX

"Oi," I walk in and right away, Himoto has something to say. He's the only one there. Just my luck. "Do you know where Isho and Komanda are?"

"No," I roll my eyes and sit across the table from him. Placing my book bag on the floor, I tell him, "They're probably just late." Himoto stares at me. "What?" I ask finally.

He points to my shirt; it's a long sleeved shirt with pink and magenta horizontal stripes. "That shirt makes you look fat," He says blankly.

"YOU JERK!" I exclaim loudly. How am I supposed to put up with him for the next while? URGH. I wish Isho-kun or Komanda-kun would get here already.

"It's the truth," Himoto shrugs as if it's no big deal.

I try to avert the subject. If I just act professional, maybe he'll stop insulting me. "What kind of cake were you thinking of making?" I ask, "To reflect your personality?"

He should probably make a dark chocolate cake, to reflect his bitter soul. Of course, I'm not going to say that. I'm trying to be professional.

"Chocolate," Himoto says simply, "I am a chocolate master, plus, chocolate easily compliments anything."

"I guess," I reply. I hate it when he's right. There is a roll of thunder in the background. The storm is getting closer. Where are Isho-kun and Komanda-kun?

Himoto seems to hear the thunder too, although he does his best to ignore it, "What about you?"

"I was thinking maybe strawberries?" I say carefully, not sure whether he's going to insult me about it. Strawberries are my favourite fruit of all time. Not just because my mother loves them and is named after them. Strawberries are sweet and very summery. Even though I was born in the winter, I love summer. Fraise de bois are my favourite kind of strawberry, my Mom introduced them to me when I was a really small girl.

"Strawberries?" Himoto repeats. There is another clap of thunder. "I guess that should be okay. Strawberries are fine with chocolate."

I want to say we don't complement each other with our personalities, but Isho-kun and Komanda-kun finally arrive. "Sorry we're late!" Isho-kun apologizes, "We got held up by a teacher."

Komanda-kun confirms the story. Another loud roar of thunder booms from the sky. "We'd better get started before the storm picks up," Komanda-kun says. He looks to Himoto, almost with concern.

He rolls his eyes and grumbles something under his breath. "So," I say, a little bit tensely, "What were you guys thinking about making for your cakes?"

Isho-kun flips his hair, "Well, I consider my personality to be as beautiful and flawless as a rose. I was thinking of making a rose cake."

So he likes roses? He's just like Uncle Hanabusa, if anything, he's worst.

"I was thinking of Mille-feuille," Komanda-kun tells me, "It's an interesting French sweet."

"Why do you think that reflects your personality?" I ask curiously, placing my elbows on the table.

"Well," Komanda-kun says, slightly embarrassed, "I've always thought there were different sides of me. Each of them could be represented by a layer of the cake."

I smile, "Aw! That's sweet."

He blushes slightly; I do tend to embarrass people. "What's your cake idea Lynne-chan?" Isho-kun asks.

"Strawberries," I say, lifting my index finger, "I especially love Fraise de Bois, my Mom introduced them to me when I was small."

Himoto interrupts me, "All of our ideas clash."

I narrow my eyes at him, but let it go. "What do you mean?"

"The task is to create a cake reflecting our personality," He says, in an emotionless tone, "but the cakes have to complement each other."

Sighing, Isho-kun and Komanda-kun agree, "That's true," I answer finally.

The hardest thing for me is I don't know these guys too well. How do I compliment my cake with theirs? I don't know what kind of cake they can make to help balance all of our opposite personalities.

Another clap of thunder echoes through the whole room. To my surprise, Himoto flinches slightly. Is he afraid of thunder storms?

The sky lights up in a flash. There's lightning now. I stare out the window to see the oncoming storm, rain is falling in sheets and headed straight for the building.

"Ka-kun..." Komanda-kun says slowly. This is the first time I've ever seen Himoto in vulnerability, his eyes are darting around in fear. For whatever reason, this storm is getting him really riled up.

"What's wrong with him?" I whisper softly to Isho-kun, hoping Himoto can't hear me.

Sighing deeply, Isho-kun whispers back, "He has bad experiences with thunder storms."

I heard once that you can become afraid of something because of an experience. For me, I'm afraid of the dark. If it's too dark, I get really scared. It's because when I was little, the power went off and my night light stopped working.

Then, the shadows seemed to transform in front of my eyes. I've been scared of pure darkness ever since.

Himoto is shaking slightly. The rain begins pounding down on the roof of the building. I'm about to say something, when the light flickers. My heart starts beating double time. No, it can't get dark. It CAN'T.

I see Himoto stare at me, seeing the sudden look of terror on my face. "Kashino...?" He says softly. Thunder booms over head and he jumps back. The lights flicker again, before shutting off completely.

The whole room is dark. I can't see anything. Pure darkness. I'm so scared, I'm shaking all over. But I can't think about myself. What about Himoto? Why is he afraid of thunder storms? There's got to be some reason.

Another clap of thunder roars from above us. I feel someone jump, nearly landing on me. I fall back in surprise. I reach for something, anything to hold onto. Grabbing onto someone's wrist, they are taken by surprise and fall down with me. In an attempt to save myself, I twist around and end up falling on top of them.

My face is buried in their chest and I feel myself blush and try and sit up. "You clumsy..." The person hisses. Lightning flashes and the whole room is lit up for a second. I find myself staring straight at Himoto, his face just two centimeters from my own.

EHHHH?

* * *

**Me: Mwahaha. Another cliffhanger. Hehehe.**

**Ichigo: Woah. O_O**

**Me: I wonder if you could count that as a HimotoXLynne moment. :3**

**Ichigo: Well, kind of... But nothing's really happened yet.**

**Me: Well, all I'm going to say is, think about it. These two in the same room, both of their worst fears coming true. Just saying.**

**Kashino: What happened to Isho and Komanda?**

**Me: They're still there, they just happened to be in a different spot than Lynne and Himoto...**

**The reason for Himoto's abnormal fear of thunder storms will be explained in later chapters. What do you think is going to happen next? ;)**

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! :')**

**1. RomanceAnimer**

**2. AnimeMangaVicki**

**3. Rei Star**

**4. StrawberryDream15**

**5. WingedMax**

**6. luchia**

**7. lusiw123**

**8. Kitsune Jackson**

**9. Aoi Kobayashi**

**10. Yumi-san89**

**Please Review! :D**


	5. Revealed, Himoto's Past?

**Me: Hey! I'm back. This chapter is a big milestone for Lynne and Himoto. It changes Lynne's thoughts on him and hints at things that are possible to happen... That's all I'm saying. This one is kind of shorter than the others...**

**Kashino: Okay then... **

**Me: And as much as I hate it, I might not update every single day like I have been for the past 5. I've been spending too much time on my computer... Hehe... PLUS. I have someone over tomorrow... And I'm gone this week-end.**

**Ichigo: Mikashi doesn't own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 5: Revealed, Himoto's Past?

"EH? Eh..." I stutter aimlessly. The lightning is gone, but I know I'm still on top of Himoto. WHY HIM? Out of everyone... Boy, am I in trouble now.

"Get off me..." Himoto says slowly. His voice is shaking, I can't tell whether it's because he's still scared or he can't breathe because I'm on top of him.

Scrambling off, I land on the tiles. "Ouch!" I hiss to myself, I sit against the counter with my knees pulled to my chest.

There's another clap of thunder and I hear Himoto jerk and slam his head on the counter. "OW!" He yells loudly. He sits beside me, though I'm not sure whether he knows I'm there or not.

"Hey, are you okay?" I say quietly. Lightning flashes and I see him rubbing a sore spot on his head.

He sounds annoyed, "I just slammed my head on a counter top, do you think I'm okay?" Lightly pushing me by the shoulder, he continues, "The question is... Are you okay?"

I'm taken aback, is he actually concerned about me? "W-what do you mean?" I whisper, the volume of my voice decreasing.

"That look you had on your face," Himoto murmurs. It's so weird. I think he's concerned about me. But I can't see his face, meaning I can't see his eyes. So I can't see his emotions. "You looked terrified."

I can feel my face warming up. He saw that? Damn. He's seen my weakness... "N-no I wasn't," I stammer, trying to sound convincing. My stupid voice is not helping in this situation.

Where are Komanda-kun and Isho-kun anyway? They've got to be in the room somewhere. But it's such a big room, could they have gotten lost in the dark? "Yeah you were," Himoto presses on. He's just as stubborn as I am.

"I'm afraid of the dark, okay?" I admit finally, crossing my arms. Another flash of lightning illuminates the room for a second. Himoto's lips are in a fine line, his arms are crossed and he's looking to the floor.

It's dark again when he asks, "Why?"

I can't tell him about the shadows. That would be so embarrassing. It's a little kid thing, I know shadows won't hurt me, but I'm still scared. "It's none of your business," I say, trying to sound on top of the situation, but I'm anything but. The darkness really is getting to me. "Why are you afraid of thunder storms hm?"

Himoto is quiet. I've just touched another nerve. First, I insulted him using the kid of rich parents insult. Turns out he has no parents. Now, I've asked why he's scared of thunder storms. What kind of nerve is that? It's a fear. It's not his fault.

"I'm going to find Komanda and Isho," He says darkly, "Stay put. We don't need a baka like you getting lost." I can hear him getting up. Just when I thought he could have a nice side...

"Hey!" I argue indignantly, "I'm not an idiot you know."

He laughs, "So far, you haven't proved so."

I puff up my cheeks angrily, "JERK!"

XxXxX

I sit quietly by myself. More thunder claps. I can only wonder how Himoto must be doing. It's so dark and the rain has picked up. I can hear his footsteps all around me. Or is that Isho-kun and Komanda-kun?

It crosses my mind as to how they could get lost in the first place. After all, we were all right near each other. I'm thinking about this, when I see a small silhouette float in front of me before darting off. I can feel goose bumps breaking out on my skin. What was that? I see another and my heart almost stops. The darkness feels like it's swallowing me. The silhouette comes closer to me, "Lynne-desu?"

I screech, scared to death. "AH!" The silhouette gasps, dropping something. With a clang, I see a sweet spirit spoon begin glowing from the floor. The little light it gives is comforting. It casts it's glow upwards and I can see who the mysterious silhouette is. Raspberry's emerald eyes are wide, startled and frightened.

"I'm sorry Raspberry," I apologize sheepishly, "You startled me, I'm afraid of the dark."

"I-it's okay-desu," She says, her voice sounding not at all okay. It's almost like she's on the verge of tears.

I sigh, "How did you find me?" The little spirit floats to her spoon and picks it up.

"I heard you talking to Himoto-kun," She admits, "it was sweet-desu."

My cheeks feel warm. That was not sweet. He probably just wants to know my fears so he can use them against me. "No it wasn't," I reply stubbornly. No way. Himoto is a chocolate devil, he doesn't have a nice bone in his body.

"Well, at least you two kind of bonded..." Raspberry tries.

"Not really," I scoff, rolling my chocolate brown eyes at the shy spirit, "He only wanted to know why I was scared."

Raspberry ponders this for a moment, "Well... Maybe because, deep down, he cares about you? You are a team mate of his after all-desu."

Maybe. But I don't want to think like that. Himoto doesn't care about any one. I mean, half the time it's like he has no emotion at all. So out of all people, why would he care about me? Since the moment I've met him, I've hated him with a passion.

"Don't think so," I shrug, brushing off the topic. "Anyway, where are Isho-kun and Komanda-kun?"

Raspberry laughs nervously, "Well, when they realized you and Himoto-kun were actually talking without arguing, they stepped out so you guys could talk alone-desu..."

I narrow my eyes and pout my lip, "You make it sound like you're matchmaking..."

Raspberry rubs the back of her neck, "I-it wasn't meant to be like that... Komanda-kun just wants you two to be friends. You fight too much, at least, that's what he says-desu."

"Was Fraise in on it too? I haven't seen her since I got here," I continue. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen Fraise since after school. Strange. I wonder where she went...

"No," Raspberry says slowly, "You don't know where she is either?"

I shrug, she'll come back. I'm not really that worried. If she could survive without a partner, she can go out on her own for a while. "No," I wave my hand casually, "It's not a big deal though. She'll come back later."

"Okay..." The red-headed spirit gives me a small smile, "Well, Himoto-kun was wandering around the room, so I told him Komanda-kun and Isho-kun were outside-desu."

So all the boys are outside, I feel slightly out of place. "So, are they waiting for me?" I ask Raspberry.

"Yeah," She smiles a little bigger. Raspberry is very cute when she smiles. I wonder why she's so shy in the first place. "Himoto-kun didn't look so good, so I think they're trying to help him out-desu."

This confuses me, "What do you mean?"

"Storms are his worst nightmare come true," Raspberry says sadly, "He gets chills and feels really sick during each one-desu."

I don't understand why though. Isho-kun said he has bad experiences with thunder storms, but what is so bad that he's so terrified he makes himself sick?

"Oh," I respond slowly. "Can you take me to them?"

Raspberry nods, her emerald eyes sparkling. She uses her magic to make the spoon shine brighter, "Of course-desu!" She holds the spoon out like a flashlight, "That was my intention!"

XxXxX

The kitchen room seems a lot different in the dark. The room feels triple its size and everything looks spooky and casts twisted shadows on the floor. I shudder, just another reason to hate the dark.

Raspberry's spoon casts a short haze of light in front of us; it's to make sure I don't run into anything. Even if she hardly knows me, she knows I'm clumsy. After what seems like hours, my hand, which I had kept extended in front of me, brushes against the door. Searching for the door knob, I turn it and open the door quietly.

"Ka-kun..." Komanda-kun says quietly. I don't think they realize I'm here.

"Shut up," Himoto answers roughly. "I'm fine."

I'm about to say that he's anything but fine, when Isho-kun comes up beside me. I almost yell in surprise, but he presses a finger to my lips. "Shh..." He says softly, so soft it sounds almost like a purring cat.

"No you aren't," Komanda-kun insists, "You're shaking all over."

"I thought that was a natural thing to do when you're scared out of your freaking mind," Himoto retorts sourly. He really is in a bad mood. I wish the storm would be over already. Not just because the dark scares me, but because even if I don't like Himoto that much, I can't stand to see this affect anyone so much.

I can hear Komanda reach over, "You're running a fever," He says quietly.

It's like I can feel Himoto trembling. "That always happens, you know that."

Why? I want to understand. Himoto may be cruel and mean, but I feel sorry for him. I wonder how he must feel about his own life. If he's this scared of thunder storms, he never had his parents to comfort him through them.

I remember when I was small; I would cry and cry at night because I hated the dark. Every day I dreaded sunset, knowing that night was when everything became dark. Mom and Dad would stay with me in my room every night. Dad would hold my hand and Mom would sing me lullabies. They would never leave until I was asleep. Every night they would do that for me until I was less scared and could handle it by myself.

My stomach feels knotted when I think of Himoto being a small kid like me, a storm raging outside and being all alone. Helpless. Feverish, shaking and alone. I could never live like that.

Isho-kun takes off his sweater and drapes it over my shoulders, "Are you cold Lynne-chan?" He asks quietly, "You're shaking."

I want to say something, but I can't. What is it like the live like that? All alone.

"Ka-kun..." Komanda-kun whispers, "It wasn't your fault. You had nothing to do with it."

Himoto replies, his voice sounds so distant. Lightning flashes and he's sitting against the wall. His eyes are glassy and his cheeks are red from fever, "It... Was all my fault." A single tear trails down his cheek and I'm overcome with emotion. I walk towards him, even if Isho-kun is trying to stop me. Kneeling down, Himoto stares at me. I can't tell how coherent he is, fevers can make people's mind all fizzy and delusional.

"I don't know what happened," I say softly, "But I'll tell you this. It wasn't your fault. Don't live in regret of things you should have done. That will never change anything."

He stares at me, a mix of emotion in his eyes. Hurt, confusion, frustration, loneliness. I can only imagine how long he's been feeling like this. "Kashino..." He whispers softly.

My next action surprises even me; I reach forward and hug him. Himoto seems somewhat startled, but doesn't pull away. His body is hot; his fever is really high. "Even if your parents are gone," I murmur quietly into his ear, so softly neither Komanda-kun nor Isho-kun can hear me, "Out there somewhere is someone who loves you."

I wonder if anyone has ever told Himoto that they love him. As much as I try, I can't picture my life without my family. I don't know what I would do without them.

Himoto takes a deep breath, "Mom..." He says; his voice cracking.

I look at him with compassion in my eyes, "Somewhere out there, you're loved." His eyes are still glassy, but they begin to close. Letting him go, I make sure he's in a comfortable position against the wall. And he falls asleep. Underneath the angry expressions that he masks his face with, he's really just sad. And alone.

XxXxX

"How did you do that?" Komanda-kun is beside me now. He's staring at Himoto who's now sleeping.

I blush a little, realizing that they were watching me the whole time. "I..." I don't really know what came over me. It was unbearable to see him beat himself up over whatever he thinks is his fault. My mom is right, no matter the person, I am empathetic. "My brother," I say quietly, "We need him to sleep in the car... I guess I just used the same tone and he fell asleep."

Isho-kun is on my other side now, repositioning his sweater on my shoulder. "This has been quite a day..." He says slowly.

"What happened?" I ask finally, "Why does this happen every time there's a storm?"

"It's not our story to tell Lynne-chan," Isho-kun replies sadly. I gaze towards Himoto, what did he think was his fault?

"I think she deserves to know," Komanda-kun reasons, "She did after all calm him down."

Isho-kun sighs, "Just be careful when bringing it up with Himoto. No matter how hard he tries to show he doesn't care about anything, he really is just hurt inside."

The storm is still raging outside. "Hurt?" I whisper, my voice trembling.

"It's like this..." Komanda-kun begins the story.

XxXxX

"I've known Ka-kun since we were small. In fact, you could call us friends by birth," Komanda-kun says first. "Ka-kun's parents were very sweet. When we were small, I would come over a lot of the time. Ka-kun's mom was an excellent Patissiere. She would make us cakes whenever we came over and always had a constant smile on her face."

I nod. Okay. So Himoto did have a family at some point. Now, what happened that took his parents away?

"Ka-kun's father was a doctor, so Ka-kun didn't see him all the time and neither did his mother." Komanda-kun continues, somewhat grimly. "His father was a good man and ached to be with his family all the time. It was only because of his job he couldn't spend as much time as he wanted with them."

"Either way, Ka-kun was happy. He had a home to live in, a family and friends. You might not believe me, but he was a really cheerful person. Ka-kun had a bright smile, so innocent and happy that when you saw him smile, you couldn't help but smile too."

I can't imagine. But I can try and believe it. In that way, Himoto reminds me of my mother. She was able to make anyone smile and touch the heart of anyone.

"One week, when me and Ka-kun were about 4 years old, his dad took a week off from work to spend with his family."

I don't see what's wrong with that. Isn't that a good thing? "So, on the first day of his father's vacation they went out for the day. It was already October, so it was kind of cold."

Nodding, I gesture for Komanda-kun to continue. "So, that day, Ka-kun caught a cold. He was sick in bed the next day."

Isho-kun from beside me takes in a sharp breath of air. It makes me think that this is the sad part of the story.

"So," Komanda-kun keeps going, "Ka-kun had his two parents tending to him. To make matters worse, a storm was starting to come in. The clouds had been looming around all day. At this point, Ka-kun wasn't afraid of storms."

So, a storm was coming while Himoto was sick. That might be a reason why whenever a storm comes in he feels sick. But what made it so traumatic?

"It was around 11:00 when Ka-kun's fever began rising," Komanda-kun sighs; I can tell he doesn't like this part of the story. "And they were out of medicine, so Ka-kun's dad was going to go out and buy more from the all-night drug store."

My stomach is stirring uncomfortably, this doesn't sound good at all. "The storm had already started, although there was only heavy rain. The thunder and lightning hadn't started."

"So what happened?" I ask, almost dreading asking.

"Ka-kun's mom didn't want him to go out alone. They resolved that they would go together, it was unlikely that Ka-kun would wake up as it was late already. Right when they were about to leave, Ka-kun came down the stairs, asking where they were going. They assured him that they would go out and buy his medicine and come back."

My hands go to my mouth, biting on my nails nervously, I keep listening. "Ka-kun wanted them to stay, but he didn't make them. When they left, the thunder and lightning started and it started scaring him. He wanted his parents to come back. But it had already been an hour and they weren't back."

"They both died that night. The road was so slippery that the car spun out of control on a turn, lightning struck a tree and it crashed down on their car. Ka-kun told me he was scared to death. His fever was making the thunder and lightning seem a lot worse than it really was."

Komanda tells me the rest. After that, Himoto was taken from relative to relative but no one would take him in. So he was taken to an orphanage. They treated him awfully and he closed himself into a shell. Eventually, a nice family adopted him, but he doesn't consider them his family. He's never been the same after that. He blames himself for not making his parents stay.

I can't imagine that happening to me. At such a young age. How hard was that for him? I can't begin to understand what it must have felt to be shunned by each of your relatives. The orphanage was cruel, they never showed him that he was loved or cherished. No wonder he grew up to be bitter.

I look to Himoto who's still against the wall, sleeping restlessly. My perspective on him has changed. He may be a devil and insanely mean to me. But maybe... underneath everything, I might be able to get the old Himoto back. If I try hard enough.

* * *

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	6. Friendship, Arranged In Petit Fours!

**Me: Hey guys! This is probably my last update for this week. :(**

**Ichigo: Eh? Why?**

**Me: Well... I'm away this week-end, so I'll have no time. Sorry 'bout that...**

**Kashino: It was bound to happen sometime. :P**

**Me: It's like you were waiting for it... ANYWAY.**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 6: Friendship, Arranged In Petit Fours!

I sigh, the storm is beginning to die down. "So..." Isho-kun trails off. We're just all awkwardly sitting on the floor. "What are we going to do for tomorrow's class?"

That's right. The whole reason we came here was so we could discuss what we were going to do for tomorrow's class. "Well, Himoto said all of our ideas clash..." I say sadly, "But even if we make them all match, it has to reflect our own personalities."

"Okay," Komanda-kun answers, raising his index finger, "Why don't we use one person's cake to base the rest of ours on? For example, if Kashino-chan is making a strawberry cake, we can all make a cake that reflects our personalities, but helps bring out her cake."

It sounds like a good idea. "Well," I pause to think, "I want to make a strawberry cake, Isho-kun wants to make a rose cake, you want to make a Mille-feuille and Himoto wants to do chocolate." I list each of our cake ideas to Komanda-kun, "Who's cake is easiest to compliment?"

Isho-kun flips his hair and says, "As much as I'd love to be the center cake of attention, I think... Himoto's cake is the easiest to compliment, chocolate matches almost anything."

As we're speaking, the lights flicker back on. The power has returned. I breathe a sigh of relief, for everyone's sake I was trying not to flip out because we were in the dark. Although, I am fairly relieved the lights are back. Looking outside the window, the rain has already begun to lighten up. It's like there's only a faint mist outside.

"So... We should make Ka-kun's cake our base?" Komanda-kun concludes.

I nod, "I would think so. Strawberries match chocolate, so I think I'm okay." I think about it, "But then both of your ideas clash..."

Isho-kun agrees with me. Slightly nodding his head, he replies, "Well, my idea is fairly flexible," He takes hold of my hand. "I would love if my cake would make your own taste even better Lynne-chan," He finishes flirtatiously.

Blushing, I stammer, "W-well... We're trying to compliment Himoto's cake here." Isho-kun sighs and releases his hold on my hand.

"Right..." He continues, "I could also make a kiwi cake."

I think about it. Strawberries and kiwi's taste amazing together; meaning both mine and Isho-kun's cake will complement each other. Plus, they both taste amazing with chocolate, so that's good too. The thing is, why does Isho-kun think his personality is like a kiwi? "Why do kiwis match your personality?" I ask questionably.

"Well," Isho-kun smiles before moving his bangs to the left side of his forehead, "Kiwis are sweet, yet tart at the same time. The seeds on the inside explode in your mouth when you bite them, like a surprise." He grins at me, "And I'm full of surprises."

I clear my throat awkwardly, "Uh... Right. Okay. So Isho-kun can make a kiwi fruit cake." I turn to Komanda-kun, "What about you Komanda-kun?"

He seems to be thinking about what his cake could be, that matches all of ours. "How about... a simple vanilla cake?"

Vanilla complements both chocolate and the two fruits. "That's great!" I say happily, "And how does it reflect your personality?"

"Well, I guess..." Komanda-kun begins sheepishly, "vanilla is very basic, but if you add something to it and it can become a lot more. I guess it means I'm deeper than I appear?"

I nod. I don't really get it. But if he thinks it's a good idea, it probably is. After all, he is one of the 3 sweet princes. "Okay," I grin at both of them, "Then it's decided."

"What's decided?" We all turn and Himoto is behind us, rubbing his eyes. "What are you guys talking about?"

He doesn't seem to remember me hugging him and all that stuff. Either that, or he's not bringing it up. It's actually kind of embarrassing when I think about it. "We were talking about our assignment tomorrow," I say, kind of sheepish. Rubbing the back of my neck, I continue, "We know what kind of cakes we're all making that compliment each others."

"Eh?" Himoto answers, his tone dull, "How?"

I tell him about how we decided to make his cake the base and built on top of it. "So..." He repeats slowly, "Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and kiwi?"

It's a quirky combination and I like it. "Totally!" I smile and Himoto stares blankly at me. "What's wrong?"

"..." He points to me, "Why are you wearing Isho's sweater?"

I blink twice, "Eh?" It's only then I realize Isho-kun's sweater is still draped over my shoulders. Blushing a little, I take it off and hand it to Isho-kun, "I-I don't know," I stammer, trying to make my tone light.

Isho-kun smiles at me, "Thank you Lynne-chan, if you ever need something, just ask for it."

Clearing my throat, I continue, "Anyway, is everyone okay with our assignment idea?"

"It's not completely planned," Himoto rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, "You know what the main ingredient of your cake is, but you don't know how you're going to make it. Just because strawberries match chocolate doesn't mean it's always necessarily so, if the chocolate is very sweet and the strawberries are too, it's overpowering."

"I guess..." I pause before gasping. I've got an idea, that might make our assignment a lot more creative, "We should make a theme!"

"I was still talking..." Himoto trails off, "You don't know what kind of cake your-."

"Our theme should be 'friendship'," I say proudly, raising my arms in the air. "After all, if you don't complement each other, there's no way you can be friends. Friends support each other and lift each other up."

Komanda-kun nods, "That's actually a really good idea; it's a great way to get the point of the assignment across."

Isho-kun agrees as well. "Hey, to solve Himoto's problem about what kind of cake we'll make, why don't we make petit fours? To build of off Lynne-chan's theme, we could do 'Friends spending time together'."

"Eh?" I cock my head to one side, "What do you mean?"

"Petit fours are little mini-cakes that originate from France. They are more casual cakes and can give off the illusion that we're just spending time together as friends."

Mom and Dad have their own pair of petit fours at their shop. Mom's, are mini strawberry cheesecake squares. Dad's, are chocolate macaroons. They have the dry kind, my Dad's macaroons, and the glazed kind, the glazed strawberry cheesecake. We can do something like that if we really want to.

Komanda-kun is the first to speak up, "I think that's a great idea. Petit fours are easy to make and easy to arrange."

"What kind of petit fours should we each make?" I ask, looking at the 3 of them. All of them are extremely talented in one area. We should play it out so they each work on their strength. "There are 2 types of petit fours, 'petites fours secs' the dry kind, like puff pastries and 'petites fours glacés' the glazed or decorated kind like tiny fondant decorated cakes."

"Hm," Himoto says snidely, "At least you know some stuff."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, my lips in a pout.

Smirking a little, he shrugs, "Nothing."

I roll my eyes and continue, I point to Isho-kun, "I think Isho-kun should make petites four glacés because you're good at candy art and decoration."

He nods, "I'm fine with that." Looking to Komanda-kun and Himoto, they also agree.

"I'm the second fruit, so I can do petites four secs, so that the two fruit have different tastes and textures." I continue. I love coming up with sweets, it's fun to be creative and try different things. "Himoto can do the petites four glacés, while Komanda-kun does the petites four secs. How does that sound?"

"You're a very good planner Kashino-chan," Komanda-kun says in awe, "You even know your stuff."

I grin and point my thumb towards me, "Well, I am a Kashino after all!"

"Show off," Himoto coughs, trying and failing to be discreet. Though I think he meant for me to hear him.

I narrow my eyes at him, but bite my tongue. It's an effort to actually be nice. "So, we should get started," I look to my watch and gasp. We've already been here for 2 hours with only planning done. "Come on! It's already 7..." My stomach growls, "So... We've missed dinner." I sigh gloomily, but attempt to cheer up, "But we can eat our finished cakes later, so that should be fine."

Himoto shakes his head and sighs, "You're such a glutton..."

I can help but remark, "Last time I checked, humans needed to eat." I don't let him respond, because I don't want to start an argument, "So let's get started!" Raspberry, Toffee and Kumquat come out from the kitchen room. I wonder just how long they've been waiting.

"Now where's Fraise?" I jump up and turn around to look, "She's disappeared."

"Right here!" She cheers, the oven lights up and opens. Fraise spirals out and waves.

My eyes wide, I ask, "Where did you go?"

She rubs the back of her neck, "To visit my mom, I said hi to yours as well." That's sweet. I wonder if mom talked about me... She probably misses me a lot.

"Alright! Let's get started!" I skip happily into the kitchen, the three sweet princes following suit.

XxXxX

I explain our idea to Fraise and she agrees wholeheartedly. Now all I have to do is decide what kind of petites four secs I'm going to make. I could make strawberry macarons. A Macaron is a French originating sweet, it's basically two cookies with a filling in the middle. It easily melts in the mouth and is an excellent petit fours.

I could make the cookies easily and colour them pink. The filling could be strawberry jam. The hardest part then, to this recipe will be to learn how to make my own jam, the cookies are fairly easy.

I tell Fraise my idea. "Excellent idea Lynne!" She gushes excitedly. "Do you know how to make jam though?"

Laughing sheepishly, I reply, "Um... No."

Fraise sweatdrops, "Well then... How would you make the macaron then?"

"Hm, maybe one of the sweet princes knows," I answer, tapping a finger to my chin.

With questioning eyes, Fraise cocks her head to one side, "Sweet Princes...?"

"Long story," I brush it off. The 3 boys are all hard at work already. It's amazing how fast they work. "Ano..." I say, they all look up and stare at me. It feels kind of awkward. They all know what to do about anything and then there's me. "Do any of you know how to make fruit jam?"

Isho-kun shrugs, "I'm not a very big jam person to be honest. You're going to use it as a filling I'm guessing?"

"Yeah," I blush lightly. How is it that I'm so easy to predict? "I'm going to make strawberry macarons."

Komanda-kun speaks up, "I don't know how to make jam," he says slowly. It's like he's pondering over whether or not to add another thought.

I raise my eyebrows questioningly, "But Ka-kun does." He finally finishes.

Looking to Himoto, he sighs before putting down his tempering tools. "If I'm going to teach you, I have rules."

He's so blunt. But, I guess if it's the only way to learn... I agree to listen to his rules. "If you screw up, you have to start again. You have to listen to me and fix your problem if I tell you you're doing something wrong." I nod slowly, taking in what he's said. Smirking, he continues, "Got that?"

I smile carefully, "I guess so."

Gesturing me with his hand, he nods, "Okay. Come here."

XxXxX

"The first step," Himoto says, grabbing my arm and dragging me towards the fridge, "Is to cut off the tops of the strawberries." He let's go of my hand uses his head to gesture to the fridge, "Go on, get the strawberries."

He's closer. He should be the one to do it. But, like I agreed, I have to listen to him. I open the fridge and get out the plastic box of strawberries. Himoto gets out the cutting board and knife and places them in front of me. "I assume you know how to cut the tops off of strawberries?"

Blushing, I take the knife from him, "Of course. I'm not stupid."

He seems like he's about to retort, but stops. This is not the right to for it. "Okay, cut the tops."

"All of them?" I ask, staring at loaded box of strawberries.

"All of them." Sighing, he gets out another knife and proceeds to help me with the task.

XxXxX

"Second," He dictates firmly, "Put all the strawberries in a blender with one cup of water. Blend them on high speed until their liquid." Pointing to the blender he says, "For this particular blender, you need to hold down the top, because it can fly off and splash everything."

Smirking, I ask, "Do you speak from experience?"

He narrows his eyes, but scoffs, "Of course not. I'm not as dumb as you."

Same old Himoto. I dump all the strawberries in the blender and add the cup of water. I'm about to turn on the blender, when Himoto smacks my hand away. "Ow!" I exclaim, staring at him to complain. I see he has a smirk on his face. "What's with that expression?" I ask grouchily.

Pointing, with laughter laced into his voice, he tells me, "You forgot to put the cover on."

I can feel my cheeks turning the same shade as the ripe strawberries, "I-I knew that!" I stammer aimlessly, "I was just looking for which button I should press."

"Right..." Himoto drawls slowly. Reaching around me, which causes his arm to rest on my shoulders; he grabs the top and puts it into place. Keeping a firm hold on it, he gestures for me to turn it on. I click the button, looking down at the counter. I don't even mention the fact that his arm is still around me.

XxXxX

"Third," Himoto takes the glass pitcher off the blender. "Go get a saucepan." A open the cupboard and get one out. He pours the liquid strawberries inside. Himoto goes to the ingredient cabinet and brings back a bag of sugar and a lemon. "Squeeze the juice out of one lemon." He gingerly hands it to me. I begin getting the juice out, while he measures 2 cups of sugar, "And add two cups of sugar to the strawberries."

I hand him the lemon juice and he adds it in as well. He puts the saucepan filled with the liquid strawberry mixture on the stove. "We have to boil this for 30 to 45 minutes." Himoto turns the stove on medium heat.

"You want to stir it constantly, or else the bottom will burn," He takes a wooden spoon out and begins stirring. Soon, I can see the liquid is starting to boil.

"Here," He let's go of the spoon and gestures to it, "You try."

I want to say I know how to stir, but just keep it to myself. Stirring, I think about how's he's teaching me. It's almost as if he's talking to someone he thinks doesn't know anything. He probably thinks I don't.

"Not like that," Himoto tells me, breaking my thoughts. He puts his hand over mine and guides me, "Like this. The whole point of stirring is to prevent the bottom from burning, so you need to actually stir the bottom."

I look up at him and roll my eyes, "Excuse me for being gentle."

"Whatever."

XxXxX

Himoto finally releases his hold on my hand and I'm free to stir myself. Soon, a light pink foam begins rising on the top. Swiping his finger across it carefully, he gets some of the foam on his finger and tastes it. "Taste it," He gestures to it.

I follow his action and taste it myself. It's very light and sweet. Very delicious. "Five," Himoto continues, "You need to scoop the foam out. It's good, but if you don't, the jam won't be translucent."

He takes the spoon from me and takes out some of the foam, throwing it into a bowl to be thrown out later. "You try."

So I do. I lay the spoon across the bowl when Himoto picks it up again, "You still have to keep stirring."

Rolling my eyes a little, I take the spoon from him and keep stirring. Meanwhile, more foam rises to the top and I keep scooping it out. It's like a process. Stir, scoop out foam, and throw.

Soon, the jam begins thickening slightly and makes popping noises. It's losing it's liquid, so I can imagine it's making noises like that.

"Only a little bit longer," Himoto says from behind me.

XxXxX

After it's been about 45 minutes since it started boiling. The mixture is a deep red. It's thicker than it first started out yet isn't as thick as store-bought jam is. "It's done," Himoto tells me, he reaches in front of me and turns the heat off.

"But it isn't thick yet..." I trail off. Watching him remove the pan from the stove and onto the table.

"It'll thicken more in the fridge," He says shortly, pouring the mixture into a jar. "10 minutes." He screws the lid of the jar tightly in place. Handing it to me, he points to the fridge, "Go on."

XxXxX

As the jam chills in the fridge, I get to work on the macarons cookies. Fraise watching over me the whole time. Macarons are fairly easy to make. All I really need is confectioners' sugar, almond powder, granulated sugar and egg whites. I sift together the confectioners' sugar and almost powder and separate 4 large eggs. Whisking the whites, using a stand mixer, I slowly add in the granulated sugar until the mixture is glossy and stiff. Next, you need to fold in the sifted sugar and almond powder using a spatula. Half of it first and then the second half once it's incorporated well. After, I add pink food colouring to give it a pink tint.

After I have the macaron cookie mixture ready, I put it in a piping bag and pipe them into shape of a cookie sheet. Careful to make sure they are thick enough so they don't burn and spread far enough from each other that they won't touch after rising.

Soon, I put the macarons in the oven and leave them to bake. Himoto takes the jam out of the fridge and shows it to me. "There, you can use it for now."

"Thanks..." I say slowly, taking the jar from him. "Sorry to keep you from your own work."

He rolls his eyes, "I can handle two things at once, unlike you."

I'm about to retort, when he shoves past me, "So don't worry about it."

XxXxX

When the macarons are finishes, I spread the jam over one half, before placing the top on it. Himoto has long since finished his own work, so he's watching me. Apparently to make sure I don't screw up.

My stomach growls loudly, it's already 9 o'clock and I haven't eaten dinner. Then again, neither have the boys. Himoto smirks at me, "Are you really that hungry?"

"No," I defend myself. My stomach growls again, completely disagreeing with me. "Well... Maybe."

He sighs and reaches into his pocket. "Here," It's a simple granola bar. I take it from him and slowly open it. It's granola topped with fruit, chocolate and nuts, drizzled with a light amount of honey. Himoto takes over and spreads jam on the macarons. "You know, during class you'll have to make the jam all by yourself."

Sighing, I take a bite of the granola bar. It tastes really good. Chewing, I say, "I know. I was paying attention; I can make it by myself."

"Alright," He presses together one of the macarons, "Just saying."

"... Did you make this?" I hold up the granola bar.

He nods silently. It's awkwardly silent. Komanda-kun and Isho-kun are working in their own stations. I finish the snack and whisper, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

XxXxX

In the end, we're all done our petit fours. I can't wait to see what the others have come up with. First, I show them mine. The strawberry macarons. They look cute and sweet in my opinion. Isho-kun smiles when he tastes it. "Sweet and adorable," He says, his tone is very prince like, "No doubt it's Lynne-chan's personality."

Next, is Komanda-kun's sweet. They are bite sized vanilla cookies with a chocolate chip set on top. They are very basic, you can tell what it is, just by looking. I take a bite of it and am surprised. There is a deep flavour along with the simple vanilla. What I think he wants to get across is that he is deeper than he may appear.

Isho-kun's sweet is the petit glacés and I'm happy to see it's decorated very nicely. Very much like I thought it would. Isho-kun's sweet is a small sponge cake with layers of kiwi flavoured cream. It is iced with light whipped cream and a sugar glazed kiwi slice on top. There is a ribbon around the kiwi slice, it is light green and made of candy. It's very thin, so it must be hard to sculpt. No doubt it's Isho-kun's work. When I taste it, it has the element of surprise in it. The kiwi cream is smooth and has a tart flavour. The sugar glazed kiwi on top is sweet because of the glaze, so they contrast beautifully. It makes me think of balanced beauty. Of course, that's what Isho-kun would try to get across.

Lastly, is Himoto's petit four. It's a mini chocolate cake, shaped in a square. It has a chocolate cream spread on top with white chocolate drizzle. When I take a bite, I can feel the different flavours. There is the sweet taste of the white chocolate drizzle and the bitter taste of the chocolate sponge cake. It contrasts and makes me think. The bitter chocolate is slightly stronger than the sweet chocolate. Maybe it's kind of like, before Himoto was sweet, but the death of his parents, he turned bitter. Yet, there's still some of that sweet person buried in there somewhere. I wonder why I can feel this; even for Komanda-kun and Isho-kun I didn't think this much.

It's 10 o'clock when we all part ways. When I get back, Hana-chan freaks out me being gone for so long. It's been a long day for me; I collapse into bed and fall asleep immediately.

XxXxX

The next day, I arrive to baking class. I look to the sweet princes excitedly, I'm so excited to finally show off what we've worked so hard on.

After we're done making the sweets, we arrange them on a plate and Aunt Lemon comes to mark us.

"My my," She says, a smile on her face. She looks at our plate with curious eyes, "Quite interesting looking."

"We made these with each of our personalities in mind," I tell Aunt Lemon. "We were thinking of this assignment as if we were friends, just hanging out together, eating sweets."

Aunt Lemon has this look on her face, as if she's just thought of something. "You mean... You gave the assignment a theme?"

Komanda-kun speaks up, "Yes. We thought it would help get our point across."

Aunt Lemon takes a sample of each of our sweets. She finishes and she stares at us. I'm not sure whether she's happy or disappointed.

She looks at all 4 of us before finally saying, "Have you guys ever thought about being a team for the grand prix?"

* * *

**Me: BLAH. I rushed the ending...**

**Ichigo: It's okay Mikashi...**

**Me: Yeah... I guess. **

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	7. DecisionMaking Time, Grand Prix?

**Me: Hello! I'm back for the week-end and decided to crank out a chapter! Yay!**

**Kashino: Wow... Addict.**

**Me: First I don't update enough, now I update too much? You're really hard to please...**

**Kashino: Well-**

**Me: I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 7: Decision-Making Time, Grand Prix?

I cock my head to one side and blink, a little bit dazed and confused. "Grand prix?"

Aunt Lemon nods, "The 'Cake Grand Prix' is about to start. It's a tournament for teams of 4 to enter."

Himoto rolls his eyes and says, "Seriously, how do you not know that? Your own parents are Grand Prix legends."

"Eh?" I reply, in awe. Mom and Dad were legends in the grand prix? I knew they were involved, but something deserving of that title...

Isho-kun nods, agreeing with Himoto. "Your mother and father's team were the youngest people to ever win a Grand Prix. At 14-years-old, Team Ichigo dominated the Grand Prix. Your mother scored a 499 out of 500, sealing them a victory and two years abroad at St. Marie Paris."

2 years on the Paris campus? I heard about that, Dad told me about it. But I never really got into detail about it. Not even that much on their Grand Prix victory. Mom isn't one to boast about her accomplishments and Dad never tells you anything unless you ask.

"That's right," Komanda-kun continues off of Isho-kun, "Your mother made her famous Sourie D'angel, or Angel's Smile strawberry tart. They are currently one of the most in demand sweets in the world." He points to me, "Your mother doesn't sell them in her shop, right?"

"No," I shrug, it's not a big deal, really. "They just have way too many customers ordering it. She can only make so many. Plus, all the media comes around so they can try and get Mom to admit her secret formula. She just decided it wasn't worth selling."

Mom still makes them of course. She likes to give them out when special people come to visit. It's because she says, 'I love putting smiles on their faces and they deserved it anyway'.

"Exactly, so if you've tasted one, you're considered lucky," Komanda-kun finishes.

"Lucky?" I repeat, tapping my finger to my chin, "I've had like... 15 in my whole life." This causes Himoto to face palm. I roll my eyes, just avoiding an argument.

Aunt Lemon clears her throat, "Anyway, I was thinking that you 4 could be a team. A Grand Prix match works as so, there are always a different set of rules, but in the end there is always one thing, a theme. Either, you make your own or they give you a guideline theme to follow. You were able to create your own theme with this personality cake assignment and execute it perfectly. I think you would do well."

We're all 13-years-old right now, if we were to win the Grand Prix, it would knock out Team Ichigo's or Mom and Dad's team off the record for being the youngest team to win in history. Also, no one could beat us, because we are the youngest age accepted into St. Marie.

But the idea scares me. I can't imagine baking something and having people judge me on it. Baking is a fun thing to do, that makes people smile. It's supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing. I don't want to make sweets in a stressed and timed setting.

"I don't know..." I mumble, not wanting to make my final decision right away.

Aunt Lemon nods, "And you can think about it, so don't worry. Grand Prix registration isn't for another 3 days, but just think about it. I think you four will be very good competition."

When she walks off, I look to our creation we spent hours planning yesterday. "Do you really think we could make it?" I ask finally. I pick up one of my macarons and take a bite. Chewing slowly, I eye each of the boys, wondering what their thoughts are.

"Well..." Himoto replies slowly, "I'm not really that sure about it."

Waving my hand carelessly and picking up one of Himoto's own petit fours, I say, "I don't either."

"But it would be a good experience for us," Komanda-kun reasons, "After all, it would be a great way to gain skills, not to mention it's extra credit."

Himoto seems to twitch, "Extra credit?" What does he need extra credit for? He's already top of class anyway. And he's definitely not a geek who takes extra credit for fun.

"I think we should go for it," Isho-kun flips his hair over his forehead, "I have a good feeling about it."

I don't. I'm not sure at all. It sounds like a lot of fun, but at the same time I don't know if I can stand the pressure.

Not of the competition, but of all the expectations my parents have left behind. They are the youngest team to ever win a Grand Prix title, Mom got a score of 499 of 500 and that's near impossible. People are going to think that I'm just as good, if not better. I'm not sure if I can handle that.

"I'll think about it," Himoto finally says begrudgingly.

"How about this," Komanda-kun tries, "If we all decide to go for it, we will. But if even one of us says no, we won't."

I nod slowly, "It sounds fair." I really don't want to be the only one to say no. But, if I don't want to do it, I won't be any good at it at all.

"We've got 3 days to decide," Isho-kun continues, "So think about it."

The warning bell for the next class goes off. As we all pack up and head out to our next class, I put thoughts of the grand prix far back in my head.

XxXxX

No matter how hard I try, I can still feel the question lurking in the back of my head. Should I join the Grand Prix or not?

It's been plaguing my mind, like a bug flying around a room, constantly landing everywhere. You know it's there and no matter how much you try to ignore it, you can't. It's after school now and I find myself walking aimlessly. I'm not sure what to do. It's the first time it's ever really happened. Kashino Lynne, doesn't know what to say.

"Oi, where are you going?" I look up to see Himoto. One thing that makes him unlike Dad, is he's tall. He's almost a full head taller than me. Maybe half.

"Huh?" I ask, distractedly. I realize I was about to walk right into the school's lake without hesitation.

He smirks and asks finally, "Still thinking about the Grand Prix?"

I nod slowly and sigh deeply, "I... I just don't know what to do."

"Why not?" Himoto questions, "You seem like the type who would charge right into a competition without thinking at all."

I blush, realizing he's talking about the competition I accepted from him in a heartbeat. Of course, he infuriated me, so that was a factor in it. "Is that what you think of me?" I roll my eyes, sticking out my tongue, "A reckless competition freak?"

He shrugs, "In a nutshell."

I almost fall to the floor in shock. "You're mean," I grumble finally, sitting down on the ground. I pull my knees up to my chest. Himoto looks even more intimidating because he's looming over me.

Sensing this, he sits down beside me. "Sorry..." He mutters quickly. Immediately after he swipes his hand across his mouth, as if wiping something off.

That's the first time he's ever apologized for something. Maybe, a little of that old Himoto is still in there. I'm actually so taken aback, I forget to reply. "I-it's okay," I stammer at last.

"What's so bad about the Grand Prix anyway?" Himoto continues, leaning back on the palms of his hands, "I mean, what's holding you back?"

I wonder why he cares so much. "Pressure," I admit finally, "Everyone's going to be watching me because of my Mom and Dad. Like you said in class, they're Grand Prix legends."

He's silent. I guess it's because he's listening, so I continue. "I don't want everyone thinking I can be just like my parents or maybe more. I'm not skilled enough to get a 499 out of 500 like my Mom could. I don't want that kind of expectation on me."

"I can see how that would be, I guess," Himoto says slowly.

"And I hate people watching me like that, sweets were meant to be relaxing and enjoyable. A Grand Prix match is too stressed and carefully watched." Why am I telling him all of this anyway? What's it to him?

"It doesn't matter whether in a Grand Prix match or not," He tells me, pausing to think about what to say next. "People will watch you regardless."

I look at him and ask, "Why?"

"Because, when you bake, you have this aura around you. It's cheerful and optimistic and light. It makes people want to watch you." Turning away, to look at the garden that overlooks the lake, he mumbles quietly, "N-not that I watch you. I just saw how you worked yesterday on your sweet."

That's right. He was watching to make sure I didn't screw up. That was it, right? I mean, it's not like he wants to watch me...

"Really?" I whisper, in awe. No one's ever told me something like that before. The wind blows by softly. My blonde hair sways in its' ponytail.

He nods slowly. Patting my hand gently, he says, "So don't worry about being watched or the expectations set by your parents, show them who you are and what you can do. Not what they think you can do."

I find his gesture oddly comforting. It's strange. "Himoto..." I whisper slowly.

He pulls his hand away and begins rubbing at his cheeks, causing them to go red. "Well, I've got to go," He stands abruptly, "See you Kashino. Don't get lost. We don't need to go out looking for a baka like you."

I sigh, again, just when I thought he had a good side. Himoto runs off and I'm left to be on my own. My parents would know what to do. They always do.

It suddenly dawns on me. I should call them. They told me to call whenever I needed help. And I definitely need help on this one.

Slipping my cell phone out of my pocket, I dial the house number. It's only 6:00, which means they should be at home and awake.

The phone rings 4 times and I'm almost afraid no one is going to answer. Finally, there's a click and a small voice says, "Hello?"

My eyes brighten instantly, it's Dylan. "Dylan?" I answer softly.

I can hear him gasp audibly on the other side of the line. "Lynnie?" It's like I can picture him bouncing up and down. "Is that really you?"

Laughing a little, I say, "Of course it is silly! How are you?"

"I'm great! Dad just showed me a new chocolate collection of his," From his tone, I can tell he's smiling a toothy grin. In a hushed tone he says, "But... It's a secret, so don't tell anyone."

Giggling, I reply, "Of course, of course."

"Plus," His voice sounds a little sad now. It fazes me for a second, why is he sad? "I miss you." He mumbles finally.

It breaks my heart to hear him say that. I love my little brother like nothing else. Of course, he's annoying and we argue a lot, but that doesn't change the fact that I love him like crazy. Dylan's the one who would give me hugs when I cried. He'd cuddle with me when I was lonely and he always knew when I needed to be left alone.

He may be younger, but he was always there to listen when I needed someone to talk to. A hand to hold when I needed comforting. Someone there for me, when no one else could.

If anything ever happened to him, I'd be broken. I love him that much.

"Oh Dyl," I can feel tears pooling into my eyes. I miss him too. "I miss you so much, you wouldn't believe."

"I bet I could," He says quietly. I laugh in spite of the feeling we are both sharing. He was always good at that. Making me laugh, even when I was about to cry. "Everyone misses you. The family isn't the same when you're gone."

I wonder how they are doing without me. I'm the constant comic relief, as Michael puts it. I'm always making our family laugh, or being the outspoken one.

"Mom feels pretty lonely without you, not even Dad can make her feel better," Dylan continues. Even Dad doesn't make her feel good? She must be crazy sad, Dad always finds another way to make her feel better. "But, Dad's worse," He keeps talking.

My ears perk up, Dad, worse than Mom? If Dad can't even cheer Mom up, how much worse can he be? "He won't admit he misses you, but we all know he does. He throws so much work on himself, it's more than he can take. He doesn't sleep a lot and keeps himself busy. I think he's just trying to numb the feeling of missing you."

Dad too? My whole family sounds depressed without me. I didn't want it to be like that. I wanted to go on an adventure and have fun. I didn't realize my family would be so affected. "I'll come and visit soon, I promise," I assure my brother. He says he misses me, but how is he really? Is he sleeping well? Is he eating all his vegetables like I made him?

"Okay," He says, unsure of what to say next.

"The real reason I called," I admit finally, "Is to talk to Mom. Can you give her the phone?"

"Okay," Dylan repeats, his tone slightly, well, toneless. "I love you," He whispers softly.

"I love you too Dyl, I promise I'll come visit you soon. I'll show you all my new sweets and I'll bring you something cool."

He's smiling. I know it. "I'll be waiting."

And then he goes and finds Mom. As she says, "Hello?" I can hear him running out of the room.

XxXxX

"Mom?" I say slowly. I wait for her response, which is almost immediate.

"LYNNE!" She exclaims, "Oh Honey! How are you?"

I giggle; she was always one to be loud. Just like me. "I'm great, I just have a question for you..."

Mom's voice lowers, "Is it about boys?"

My face turns an intense shade of red. "OF COURSE IT ISN'T!" I yell loudly.

"Hey," Mom groans, "No need to get defensive... Or kill my ears."

I sigh, "Sorry. And no, it isn't about boys." I think of Himoto. And Isho-kun and Komanda-kun. But I push them out of my thought, that isn't what I wanted to ask Mom about.

"What is it then sweetie?" Mom uses her sweet motherly tone. I've always loved it. It feels so comforting and safe.

"Aunt Lemon's my teacher, did you know that?" I ask her first. Just so the story makes sense.

It takes her a while to answer. "Oh sorry, I was nodding at the phone and then realizing you couldn't see."

I face-palm silently. That's Mom for you. "Well... Did you know?"

"Yes, I did."

"Well... Today, she recommended that my group compete in the Cake Grand Prix," I tell her slowly.

Mom's voice is ecstatic, "That's great sweetie! Are you excited?"

"That's the thing," My tongue feels like it's made of sandpaper. Mom's excited for me. But, I really do plan on saying no. "I haven't agreed yet. I'm thinking of turning down the offer."

I wonder if Mom's jaw dropped. She has a tendency to do that when she's shocked. "... Why Lynne?" She asks.

"Well... I don't want to be measured with you," I admit to her, "Everyone will expect me to be just like you and Dad."

"Oh," Mom replies simply. "That's it."

"Yeah..." I trail off awkwardly.

"Lynne, no matter what, your father and I will be proud of you, isn't that all that matters?"

I rub the back of my neck, a little bit frustrated. "I know, but still everyone else is still expecting something, what if I don't live up to their expectations?"

"Who cares?" Mom answers, her tone free, "They can want anything they desire. But they got you and they're going to have to suck up and deal with it if they don't like it."

Typical Mom answer. "I guess... But the Grand Prix doesn't really sound like fun anyway."

"Trust me, it's tons of fun," Mom assures me. I can imagine a huge smile plastered on her face. "I know it sounds really stressful and tense, but at the end of the day, it's great."

"Oi, Ichigo, are you gossiping about me on the phone again?" It's Dad's voice. It makes my heart flutter. I miss him a lot too.

Mom covers the phone's microphone, but I can still hear her. "No! If you MUST know, I am talking to your daughter!"

"Lynne...?" Dad asks slowly.

"Well DUH. Do you have any other daughters?"

Dad sighs, "Well you said you didn't want any more kids..."

"THAT ISN'T WHAT I MEANT!"

I laugh to myself. Same old Mom and Dad. Always arguing about the weirdest things. "Can I talk to her?" Dad asks, his tone is a little odd. It's almost like he's scared to.

"Of course," Mom says lightly, "I think you need it." I hear her hand the phone over.

"Dad?" I ask.

"Hi Lynne," He says. I wait for him to say more. But he doesn't.

"So..." I trail off, hoping he'll finish my sentence. He doesn't. "I was thinking about joining the Grand Prix, Mom was telling me about how much fun it was..."

"It is," Dad confirms Mom's story. "But don't forget, it's hard too. Especially because you're so young."

I pout my lips and stare at my shoes, "I... I guess so."

"It was hard enough for our team and we were in our second year. Don't get your hopes too high."

"MAKOTO!" Mom scolds in the background, "You're being such a pessimist!"

"... I'm being honest," He retorts back. Not bothering to muffle the sound being inputted into the phone.

"No you are not! Give her the encouragement she needs!"

"OKAY OKAY!" He snaps finally. "Lynne, honey, I'll tell you this, no matter how hard will be, you should still try. I'll be rooting for you."

"Thanks Dad," I reply. A smile is taking over my face and there is a warm feeling spreading through my heart. If Himoto, Komanda-kun, Isho-kun and my parents all have so much faith in me, maybe I should go through with it. "I think I'm going to go with it."

"Good luck," Dad says, his voice lowers as he whispers, "I miss you. Love you."

I'm about to say good bye, when I hear Mom say, "I think that's the first time you've admitted you miss her."

Dad sighs, "Shut up." And the phone clicks off.

XxXxX

The next day, I meet Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and Himoto in baking class. They all look at me with questioning eyes.

"So...?" Komanda-kun asks.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I grin brightly, "I'm in. How about you guys?"

* * *

**Me: Thanks for everything guys! **

**Ichigo: She'd like to warmly thank you for all your reviews and dedication to this story!**

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!**

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	8. Team Lynne, A TightKnit Team?

**Me: Hi!**

**Kashino: It's been a week since you published! **

**Me: I know... I've slowed down now... I'm sorry. T.T**

**Kashino: Well... I guess...**

**Ichigo: What he wants to say is at least a week isn't that long. You're doing fine. :)**

**Kashino: Stop putting words in my mouth. -_-**

**Me: ... Well, I think this is a good pace for me guys. A week, an update. I'll try to keep that rhythm. Because I love writing this story and I know you love reading it. Everyday is just impossible for me right now. My summer is picking up with things to do and back to school is looming over my head.**

**Ichigo: Mikashi doesn't own Yumeiro Patissiere! :)**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 8: Team Lynne, A Tight-Knit Team?

Isho-kun smiles warmly, "I knew you'd come around Lynne-chan!" Flipping his hair over his sparkling emerald eyes, he continues, "I'm in. Of course."

Komanda-kun nods in agreement, "I'm in too."

We all look to Himoto, who's staring blankly in my direction. "Well... I guess if we're all in, I will too."

"Then it's settled!" I cheer happily, slamming my hands down on the table.

"Keep it down A Group," Aunt Lemon warns while passing by. I sigh. Just like normal, I'm too loud for my own good.

Aunt Lemon begins her lesson and I try my best to listen. I'm just so excited that it's hard to concentrate. "Oi," Himoto hits me lightly on the top of the head with his notebook, "Pay attention. If your grades go down, you're going to bring us down with you."

"Right, right," I wave him off carelessly.

XxXxX

Aunt Lemon comes to our station at the end of class. She grades everyone accordingly to their work. "So..." She asks, a somewhat awkward tone in her voice, "Have you guys decided about the Grand Prix?"

"Yeah," I nod confidently, "We thought about it and we're going to go for it!"

Aunt Lemon smiles brightly, "I knew it!" She takes a sheet of paper off her clipboard and lays it on the table. "This is the registration form. I need you guys to fill it out and hand it in by the end of today. Is that alright?"

"Of course sensei," Komanda-kun nods, taking the form, "We'll be sure to get it back to you."

Aunt Lemon looks ecstatic, yet she's trying to act cool and professional, "Great. Good luck!"

The warning bell for the next class goes off and she shoos us out of the classroom. Now that I'm all for it, I'm super pumped for the Grand Prix to start.

Me along with the sweet princes walk into our next class. It takes another reminder from Himoto to focus. I'm just that excited.

XxXxX

"Okay, let's get this form out of the way," Komanda-kun says. It's after school and we all met up in the kitchen classroom to fill out the form.

I put my elbows on the table and stare intently at everyone. "Well, what's the first thing on the form?"

Isho-kun looks over Komanda-kun's shoulder, "First, 4 members of the team."

I scoff. This is a piece of cake; we'll be done in a few minutes. The real reason I want this over with is because Hana-chan and I are going to head over to Salon de Marie after this.

"That's easy," I shrug easily, my tone light, "Just fill in our names."

Himoto sends a glare in my direction, though I'm unsure why. Komanda-kun nods and fills in the names. "Okay, Kashino Lynne, Komanda Aito, Isho Hiro and Himoto Kazuye."

I smile brightly, "Alright! When are we going to be done with this?"

Himoto shakes his head, "Geez. You're being way too light about this! The grand prix is serious business."

Pouting my lip, I argue, "I KNOW THAT. I just have plans with Hana-chan to..."

"Plans? We're going to busy all afternoon," Himoto rolls his eyes, as if I should have known that already.

Busy? All afternoon? What could we possibly do all afternoon? "What're we supposed to do for that long?" I retort, "We're filling out a form, it can't take more than a few minutes!"

Himoto, in turn, slams his hand down on the table in exasperation, "Do you think we're ready to tackle a grand prix match already? You've got to practise! I know you're a good Patissiere, but that doesn't mean you get to slack off!"

"It's not like your perfect either," I reply heatedly, "And how much time do we have? It'll be a while before the grand prix starts, can't we relax before that?" I'm leaning forward, closer to him. He's glaring at me. We haven't been this mad at each other since we met.

"You're too easy-going about this," Himoto presses on, "Your procrastination will eventually lead to the down fall of the team. What kind of team leader is that?"

My eyes widen, TEAM LEADER? Komanda-kun and Isho-kun are wide-eyed too. They are shaking their heads and gesturing for Himoto to stop talking. He rolls his eyes at them, "You guys didn't tell her?"

I'm slightly scared, "Tell me what?"

He points at me, almost poking my nose, "You're going to be team leader."

I open my mouth to argue, but Isho-kun talks first. "We were going to tell her, until you blabbed it out."

Himoto is about to intervene, Komanda-kun beats him to the punch, "Everyone, we need to stop fighting, what good will we be as a team if we always argue?" Himoto grumbles, but doesn't argue. I guess it really does show that Komanda-kun is his best friend. "Kashino-chan, we'd be very happy to have you as the leader of our team."

"I don't want to be," I reply stubbornly.

"Come on, we are just first years, they'll think we entered as a joke," Komanda-kun chews on his bottom lip, "But if they realize we have you, the daughter of famous Kashino Makoto and Kashino-Amano Ichigo, as our team leader, they'll take us more seriously."

I take a deep breath, this is one of the downsides to being the daughter of someone famous. They always want to use it to an advantage. I don't like using my status to get anything; I want to earn things on my own. Not because people know who my parents are. It's kind of like a curse in a blessing. I'm blessed to have my wonderful family but it's a curse at the same time. I'll always be in their shadow. That's the reason I didn't want to join in the first place.

"Hold on," Himoto interjects, "I want to be taken seriously because we showed them what we're capable of, not because Kashino's parents are famous."

Is he reading my mind? That's right. I told him that I didn't want to be measured up to my parents. But, he can't be protecting me, can he? It's probably for him. He probably doesn't want me to be team leader.

"Team Kashino," Isho-kun says, "Would give us a name to start off of."

"I don't want the team to be in my name," I say. I feel like a broken record. I don't want the team I'm on to be known as 'Kashino's Daughter's Team'. I want to be my own person, that's the whole reason I came here in the first place. To be my own person and not compared to my brothers. But here, everyone compares me to Mom and Dad.

Komanda-kun sighs. I know he really wants this. I can understand why you'd want to give our team a boost. But not like this. This is exactly what I didn't want.

"How about this?" Himoto asks. "Let's name the team 'Team Lynne'. That way, people might not know Kashino is the girl with the famous Patissiere parents. They'll know her as Lynne and that's it. But if they do figure it out, well then, whatever. It gives our team the boost you want."

I'm slightly stunned. Since when has Himoto agreed to compromise? He's stubborn and always tries and gets what he wants. "Well... I'm okay with that," I say slowly. I do want to lead our team. I want to do it as my own person, so maybe 'Team Lynne' is the perfect name for us.

"I'm in favour of it," Isho-kun smiles at me, "After all, our team will still be named after a beautiful, inspiring girl."

I can feel my cheeks going red. Isho-kun always compliments me. It makes me feel a little bit brighter. He's the exact opposite of Himoto; he seems to always be bringing me down. "T-thanks Isho-kun," I stutter sheepishly.

Himoto has a stone-like expression on his face. He clears his throat really loudly, his eyebrow twitching slightly. What's his problem?

"WELL. It was my idea," He snaps irritably to Isho-kun. Why is he all of a sudden mad at Isho-kun? All he did was compliment me. It must be a boy thing.

Komanda-kun interrupts their little spew, "I'm okay with that. So let's write it down on the form." He writes 'Team Lynne' on the team name line and 'Kashino Lynne' in the Team Leader slot. It makes my heart flutter. I'm going to be team leader. It's my job to guide the team to victory.

We fill out the rest of the form without much more argument. All that's left is are just things like our birthdays and all this stuff. "Okay," Komanda-kun folds up the paper, "Let's get this to Yamagishi-sensei."

XxXxX

"Great, thank you A group," Aunt Lemon addresses us formally. She takes the form from Komanda-kun and pockets it into the pocket on her shirt. "Grand Prix orientation is in one week." She raises a finger, "So take this time to practise and truly master technique."

Himoto sends me a victorious smirk. Why does he always get to be right?

"Okay..." I say, a slight tone of disappointment in my voice. Taking out my cell phone, I text Hana-chan. Seems like I'm not going to Salon de Marie anytime soon. It's sad. I really did want to try out the sweets there.

When we go back to the kitchen, I smile and say, "As leader of this team I say we should-"

Himoto interrupts me, "What's your specialty?" He stares at me with his infamous expressionless stare.

I cock my head to one side, "Well... I..." I don't have a specialty. When I was small, Mom and Dad taught me about so many different sweets, I didn't really get into one as the one I was best at. Himoto is awaiting an answer, an amused smile taking over his face. "I don't have one." I admit finally, sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck.

Himoto snickers, "I knew it."

I take in a deep breath of air. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. "Shut... up." I say slowly. I don't want to start an argument, but I need to have some sort of defense.

"Sorry," He shrugs, but he doesn't sound very sorry at all.

"OKAY," Komanda-kun breaks in, "Why don't you have a specialty Kashino-chan?"

I twiddle my thumbs, "Well... I just never really excelled in a specific area... That's all. I was just decent at everything."

Isho-kun smiles. It's the smile he uses to charm people, or so Hana-chan told me. It was actually what she told me to watch out for. "Then, I'll teach you mine."

He wants to teach me? That's really sweet. "Sure!" I exclaim happily.

"WELL THEN," Himoto interrupts. He's all angry and emotional again. Seriously, what's with him and his mood swings today? "I'll teach you mine too, it's better to have knowledge on everything then just having a specialty."

Come to think of it, Himoto only gets like this when Isho-kun is being nice to me. I really don't understand the male race. I guess it's just a guy thing.

"It's a good idea," Komanda-kun nods, "We should all teach Kashino-chan our specialties to help her improve herself."

All of them are so kind. They're just trying to help me out. Not even each other first. And I'm supposed to be the team leader.

"Okay, I'll teach Lynne-chan this afternoon," Isho-kun says, a smile playing on his lips.

"I'll teach her tomorrow morning," Himoto continues, directly following Isho-kun.

I raise my eyebrows, "Morning? We have classes." It's not like he could forget classes. Himoto is at the top of class.

Rolling his eyes, he replies, "I meant before school baka." With a careless shrug and smirk, he continues, "Unless of course... You're not up for the challenge..."

"I am so!" I puff up my cheeks angrily.

"And then, I'll take tomorrow afternoon," Komanda-kun finishes. It's a perfect plan. By the end of this, I'll be an expert in possibly everything there is to know. I can only hope I have enough energy for everything. It's a lot to tackle in two days.

"Excellent," Isho-kun says. Taking my hand, he looks me in the eyes and whispers, "Shall we get started?"

"S-sure," I answer back. Isho-kun's eyes are so energetic. It's a little bit breathtaking. Himoto again clears his throat loudly. A scowl plastered on his face.

I don't understand him. Turning away from him, I say to Isho-kun, "Okay, let's get started."

XxXxX

Isho-kun's first lesson is on marzipan. Well, how to shape it at least. "Marzipan is almost like clay," Isho-kun instructs, "It can be used to shape different shapes and designs to make decoration."

I nod feverishly. Alright. It's time to get in the zone. I can't let anyone down. This really is the time to focus and be serious.

"But you must also use caution," Isho-kun continues. He picks up a piece of marzipan, rolling it in the palms of his hands, he says, "Marzipan can be broken easily if not used carefully. It could crack or crumble."

"Right," I confirm.

He hands me a small block of marzipan, "Start by trying to make shapes. They're the easiest."

Concentrating, I try to mold the marzipan into a circle. It really work the fingers, so I'm surprised, it's a lot more difficult than I thought. When I finish, the marzipan looks more like an oval than a circle.

"That's great for your first time," Isho-kun assures me, patting my head. Mom and Dad never taught me about marzipan. Usually, they would teach me how to make sweets, not how to decorate them. He shows me a heart he shaped from his own block of marzipan. "With enough practise, you should be able to make things such as this." He hands it to me, "For you mademoiselle."

I grin and take it from him. "Thanks."

"ENOUGH, with the gushy stuff," Himoto interrupts. He and Komanda-kun are sitting at the counter, watching. "Just teach her already."

Isho-kun sighs, "Must you continue your commentary?"

"If you insist on stalling by making her hearts," He retorts sourly.

"Now now..." Komanda-kun says, in an attempt to calm Himoto down. I sigh, why is that Himoto is always annoyed with Isho-kun now-a-days? I thought they were friends.

"Anyway," Isho-kun turns back to me. "Let's keep trying."

By the end of the lesson, I've gotten considerably better than when I was beginning. My circle looks like a circle. I even made a heart and coloured it pink. I give it to Isho-kun in exchange for the one he made me. "THIS IS STUPID," Himoto snaps from his spot at the table.

"Is poor Himoto sad he didn't get his own heart?" I mock playfully. Scowling, he doesn't seem to take the joke too well.

We're all leaving now. It's been a long day. "See you tomorrow Lynne-chan," Isho-kun says with a wave.

"Same for me," Komanda-kun nods and walks off with Isho-kun.

Himoto is standing there with me. "See you tomorrow Kashino," He mumbles, heading for the door, "I'll see you here, tomorrow at 6:30."

"In the morning?" I gasp, my jaw dropping.

He smirks at me before walking out the door. "What do you think?" He says, walking out the door without looking back.

XxXxX

I go back to my room. Hana-chan is sitting on her bed, with a book in her lap. "Hi Lynne-chan!" She greets me. I'm not in a very friendly mood. Sighing, I flop down on my bed.

"What's wrong?" Hana-chan asks me, staring intently.

"Devil Himoto is making me meet him at 6:30 tomorrow morning for a baking lesson," I grumble. Why does he have to be such a morning person? Even Dad didn't wake up that early on a normal basis. Considering the time it takes me to get ready and get to the kitchen rooms, I'll have to wake up at 5:30.

"6:30 in the afternoon?" Hana-chan asks. We think alike. I don't think anyone would like to bake at 6:30 in the morning. Well, except for Devil Himoto.

Glumly, I reply, "Nope. Morning."

Hana-chan looks stunned. "Um, well," She doesn't know what to say either. "Have fun?"

"Yay," I say dryly.

XxXxX

My alarm blares out at me at 5:30 in the morning. I'm so incoherent, I knock it right off the table. I sit up and try to rub my eyes. It's almost impossible to see. Rubbing at my eyes, I use my other hand to pick up the alarm clock.

Hana-chan stirs from the other side of the room. I try to be more quiet. Fraise is quietly snoozing still. How she didn't wake up from the alarm clock, I don't know.

I stumble as I try to walk. Running on minimal hours of sleep is not fun. While choosing my outfit, I don't care how I look. I pick out a pair of black leggings, a long pink shirt and magenta cardigan. Okay, maybe I do care how I look. I tie my hair into a messy bun and hang a few more elastics on my wrist, in case I need more.

It's 6:20 now, I need to get going. I try to wake Fraise up, but she won't budge. Lucky her, I take my school bag and place her on top of my books. Heading out, I shiver at the cold morning air. Time for my lesson with Himoto.

JUST great.

XxXxX

"You're late."

That's the first thing he says. I sigh deeply, it's 6:35. That Devil. Too punctual for his own good.

He turns around, "You're obviously not a morning person."

I'm really not in the mood to argue. Partly because he's right. Yawning, I ask, "What makes you say that?"

"Well for starters," He points to me, "Your eyes are all glassy and bleary." Looking up to the ceiling and leaning against the counter, he continues, "Your hair is atrocious. You're yawning every five seconds and you're spacing out easily."

I roll my eyes tiredly, "So pretty much you're saying I look like a disaster."

Laughing to himself, he says, "I was going to say 'monster' but that works too."

"Meanie," I grumble irritably.

"Well anyway," Himoto continues, "You're here. Let's start our lesson now."

This is going to be a long morning.

XxXxX

"So, I assume you know the basics to chocolate?" Himoto asks. I tie an apron around my waist and yawn tiredly.

"Yeah... I do."

Himoto nods, "Okay. Tell me some of the rules of chocolate."

I try and rack my brain for everything I know about chocolate. But my mind turns up blank. Stupid early mornings. I can't think.

Himoto raises his eyebrows questioningly. I don't want to admit I can't handle this early morning session. "Well... You're the chocolate sweet prince. You tell me."

He sighs, "... First of all, I don't like being called the chocolate sweet prince. The whole 'sweet prince' idea is stupid. Okay, one, chocolate can't exceed 50 degrees Celsius. It will split and won't taste good. Second, you CAN'T get water into the chocolate, or it will become stiff and gritty. Those are the two most common and huge mistakes made with chocolate making."

"Right right," I reply blandly. Dad taught me that. I remember now.

"So, what do you not know about making chocolate?" Himoto presses on.

I pause. My brain is all foggy. "Uh... Tempering," I say finally.

Dad is amazing at tempering. Mom told me that when she first saw him temper chocolate it was like he was creating art. So graceful and beautiful, it had turned her feelings for him around. She said it might even have been the falling point. Falling in love with him that is.

"Your dad is a famous chocolatier and you never learned that?" Himoto asks, raising his right eyebrow. When he does that, it makes me look at his eyes. Shining orbs, the colour of caramel. I shake my head, why am I thinking about his eyes? It must be my sleep-deprivation.

Himoto sighs, "Okay, watch me first. And then, you try to copy my movements after. If you screw up I'll have to fix it, so try not to."

I almost fall to the floor. He's as blunt as always.

Tempering is a hard technique to master. But if you do it right, your chocolate should come out smooth and silky. Failure to do so, results in either awful gritty chocolate or rather in my case, chocolate that isn't as professional as it could be.

I watch Himoto begin to melt chocolate down. After a while, he takes out the tempering tools and sets up the station. "Sit down," He reminds me. I sit on the stool across the counter.

Pouring the chocolate down, Himoto looks at me, "You need to watch carefully."

He begins and I try to watch his technique. But eventually, I'm just watching in awe. Mom was right. This is amazing. His movements are so fluid and smooth. It's like he's gliding and twisting and spinning. It's beautiful. Almost like the graceful movements of a figure skater. I'm so inspired by it. Himoto stops and stares at me. "Did you get it?"

"H-huh?" I say absently. It's over? That was... I have no words. I can't speak. I'm speechless.

Himoto sighs, "Are you okay? Hello?" When I'm not responding, a slight flicker of worry passes his eyes.

"Kashino?" He calls out. "Are you alright?" He's come to me now, shaking my shoulder. I finally draw myself back to reality.

"Y-yeah," I stutter. "I'm fine."

Himoto frowns and stares at my eyes, he's holding onto both my shoulders and has turned me around to look at him. "You don't look okay."

"I..." What was that feeling? I felt so light and floaty inside. Just thinking about Himoto tempering like that... It sends goose bumps prickling down my arms.

"Are you cold?" Himoto asks, his eyebrows folding down. He's noticed the goose bumps on my arms, like tiny little hills emerging on my skin.

"No... I..." What's wrong with me? Why can't I say anything? I look into Himoto's eyes, so golden and mesmerizing. Why? He's the devil. He's the jerk. He's the... He's the... What is he?

"Here," Himoto says. He's biting on his lip and taking off his white sweater. He drapes it over my shoulders. It's warm and inviting. My heart is pounding. Why? I don't understand...

Himoto crosses back to the chocolate. He's pouring it into little white mugs. Chocolat chaud. Dad made that all the time. "Your dad must have made this a bunch of times, didn't he?" Himoto asks, setting a mug down in front of me. There's steam rising from it and it tickles my cheeks.

"Y-yeah," I stammer. How would he know? I take a sip and it sends waves of warmth through my body. I shiver at the feeling.

"What happened?" Himoto takes a sip from his own mug. Leaning against the countertop, he says, "If I did something I shouldn't have..."

"No..." I mumble, trying to get back on top of things. I've never felt like this before. I've always been on top of situations. I can't understand what I'm feeling. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing," He continues. I don't have anything to say. Himoto looks at me. I think he realizes I'm not going to say anything. "Well, Komanda told me that he told you the story of my parents."

"I-if that makes you uncomfortable," I stammer, blushing, "I'm sorry..."

He shakes his head, "No. It's okay." He sighs, "That day... When you told me 'Out there somewhere, someone loves you' it got me thinking..."

He remembers that? I didn't know...

"It got me thinking of my adopted family," Himoto continues. He takes another sip of his drink, as do I. "You got me to realize, they really do love me."

That's right. Komanda-kun said that Himoto doesn't treat his adopted family as his own. "That couldn't have just been me..." I whisper.

"They did everything they could to get me here," Himoto continues. He pulls up the stool beside mine and sits down. "They loved enough to take me in the first place."

"No one ever wanted me, I was a bitter, rude and insensitive child. I got into trouble with other kids and was very unsociable. But they took me anyway. No matter how many times I threw tantrums and screamed and rebelled they never brought me back. I was only 5 years old." He sets down his empty mug and nudges my mug which sits on the table. I pick it up and take another sip. "Well, when they discovered my interest and talent in baking they did everything they could to support me. Buying everything I needed and finishing every last crumb of anything. No matter how bad or how weird it tasted. They wanted to get me into St. Marie Academy but it was too expensive. They pushed and pushed for me to be seen for the chance for a scholarship. They kept pushing and pushing until they sent Yamagishi-sensei to our house to see if I had what it takes at St. Marie. I apparently did. So they gave me a full scholarship, paying for everything. But I have to stay on top of class, so they know I'm not taking it for granted." He sighs deeply, "I still hated my adopted family. Why did I have them when I could have had my own family? It was my fault that they left and my fault for not making them stay."

I choke down another sip of my drink. "But you showed me that isn't true. I can't change what happened. So I shouldn't dwell on it anymore."

"Himoto..." I whisper softly.

"I guess... In a way, you kind of saved me," His cheeks are a gentle shade of pink, "I don't know what I might have done... If someone hadn't told me something like that."

"I thought no one cared about me. I thought that it was my fault for everything. I just wanted to die sometimes, just so I could be with my parents again." He gingerly rolls up his sleeve. I gasp, there are scar marks marring his arm. "I think you get it." He says quietly.

I can feel tears pooling in my eyes. "So... I want to thank you," Himoto looks to the ceiling, "I... Just thought you should know."

I don't know what comes over me, but I reach over and hug him. He's shocked for a second. This is the second time I've done this. Why do I keep doing it?

I'm crying silently. Tears streaming down my face. Maybe I didn't know it, but I saved someone's life.

What surprises me is Himoto slowly begins rubbing my back, "Hey... I didn't tell you that so you would cry. Hurry up and smile... You look best that way."

A funny feeling starts bubbling up inside me. It may be early in the morning, but I don't want this moment to end.

* * *

**Me: KYA! :D**

**Kashino: ...? **

**Me: Lynne and Himoto are so darned adorable! :3**

**Kashino: ... Are you fan-girling over your own characters? T.T**

**Me: So what if I am? I think they're cute.**

**Ichigo: Not to mention she's your daughter Kashino. :P**

**Kashino: She's yours too!**

**Ichigo: O_O That's right...**

**Me: I hope all you guys enjoyed Lynne and Himoto's little fluffy moment. I think it was cute. :)**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

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	9. Get Started, Grand Prix Orientation!

**Me: Hi guys! Here's my weekly update for My Journey, My Story! I think I like the one week an update, it's a good deadline for me. It pushes me to get myself writing and it's not too much. I'll try to continue it as school starts up.**

**I'd just like to let everyone know, I'm a beta reader now! Yay!~ So if anyone needs editing help, I'm your girl. ;)**

**So please enjoy this chapter!**

**I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere.**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 9: Let's Get Started, Grand Prix Orientation!

After the baking lesson with Himoto, the rest of the week is very much eventful. That afternoon, Komanda-kun drills me on everything you could possibly know about baking technique and formula. It was almost like at night, I could still his voice forcing more and more information into my head.

Komanda-kun kind of reminds me of Michael. He's like an older brother. It's kind of comforting, because Michael would always guide me on what to do and helped me out so much. It's nice that even if he isn't here, someone is still there in the 'older brother' position.

For the rest of the week, me and the sweet princes practise every afternoon. I don't have much time for anything else. Every day we try and master something new. It sends my head into fits, trying to learn everything and remember it all. It's hard, especially because it's only 7 days for so much information.

And finally, at last it's Grand Prix orientation day. I meet Isho-kun, Himoto and Komanda-kun at the kitchen room.

"Woah," Himoto says, "What happened to you?"

I look dead. Constantly, for the past week, I've been pushing myself to keep going. Staying up late with the sweet princes to finish our lesson and waking up early to perfect it in the morning. I've been running on maybe 5 or so hours of sleep every day. I'm dead tired. There are shadows under my eyes and I probably look awful. Mom told me the grand prix really pushed her, but I didn't realize it was this bad. Plus, the grand prix hasn't even started yet.

I'm irritable because I'm so tired, "Shut up." I snap moodily.

He shrugs his shoulders, but I think he realizes I'm really not in the mood. So he stops. I've really got to perk up. I'm the leader of our team and it's my job to represent our team. What kind of impression would we make if me, the team leader were to show up at Grand Prix orientation with a sluggish appearance and moody attitude? So I try to put in a spring in my step and suck it up. It's harder than it looks.

The orientation is held in the gymnasium, as it's the biggest classroom in the school. Many aged students are inside, whispering excitedly. There may be about 100 other people here. How many teams would that be? I gulp nervously, not many of them look to be in middle school.

Himoto pushes me lightly by the shoulder, telling me to go inside. I realize I'm stalling people trying to get into the gym. We all push through for a spot near the front so we can see.

The chairman of the school is standing up on the stage that has been set down for the assembly. He taps on the microphone to get everyone's attention. Eventually, the chatter dies down and everyone is staring intently at him. Everyone straining to hear every last detail he says.

"Welcome everyone," He greets warmly. "As you can see, we had a very good turn out this year!"

Everyone stirs with excitement. I look around, he's right. The gym is almost jam-packed, I thought you were recommended for the grand prix, but it seems like everyone's who anyone entered.

Aunt Lemon is standing up on the stage as well. She steps in front of the chairman to address the crowd, "Settle down everyone." When everyone quiets, she continues, "If you've noticed, we have a lot of people competing this year, but what I'd like to draw attention to, are the amount of middle school teams in the gym today."

This is when everyone begins looking around for the middle school kids. I can feel many eyes on me, burning holes into my back. "We have a total of 14 middle school teams." Aunt Lemon says slowly. That's when everyone gasps. Though I'm unsure as to why.

Isho-kun takes note of my confused face, "Usually, only 3 or 4 middle school teams even try for the competition. Most of them get defeated in the first round, so this many middle school teams is alarming."

"So," Aunt Lemon continues, "We've decided, before the grand prix starts, the will be a mini-grand prix between the 14 middle school teams. They will all compete until there are only 4 teams left. Those 4 teams will then compete against the high school teams."

That means they're weeding off the middle school teams. They don't want their competition thrown out of whack because of middle school kids who aren't serious about the competition. I find it somewhat offensive.

The chairman dismisses Aunt Lemon to sit back in her seat at the back of the stage. "Right, so all middle school teams, please follow Yamagishi-sensei into the kitchen rooms where she will discuss what is to go on in the middle school competition."

Himoto grumbles from beside me, "They don't think we're serious."

"Well," Komanda-kun replies, in an attempt to calm him down, "maybe they aren't taking some of the teams seriously. We were recommended, so surely they can't be taking us like a joke..."

"You never know," Himoto interrupts moodily. It's just like him. Always speaking his mind and not willing to listen to someone's reply.

Us, along with the rest of the middle schoolers, walk along with Aunt Lemon. She leads us to the kitchen where we have baking practise. Some people sit on the stools, but eventually, some people end up on the floor. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun were smart enough to go straight for the stools. Me and Himoto aren't so lucky. We're squished against one of the counters, with them sitting behind us on stools.

"Okay, everyone listen up!" Aunt Lemon calls. She's standing at the front of the room, where she teaches lessons.

Everyone is silent. "Many of you are here because you think the grand prix is for fun. It's just a joke to you. If you are here for that reason, leave now. Because I can assure you, the grand prix is fun, but it is also hard work. If you do not want to work hard and fool off, leave now."

No one moves. Aunt Lemon purses her lips together, "I guess that means everyone is serious?"

I nod, but it seems like I'm the only one nodding, so I stop. Himoto has a smirk on his face. He must have seen me. That's just embarrassing.

"So, there are 14 teams here," Aunt Lemon says, "That means there are 48 people here to compete in the middle school competition to qualify for the grand prix."

My eyes widen, 48 students? I look around the classroom, only 16 of us will make it into the actual competition. This is intense. If everyone really wants to be in the grand prix, it's going to be really hard to squeeze past and make it. I'm already nervous. Suddenly, all the practise and preparations from the previous week seem like nothing compared to what we need to know.

"I will draw the teams that will compete against each other in the first round. Team leaders; please come up to the front."

As the leaders stand up, I realize, we may just be the youngest ones here. All the leaders standing up all appear to be in 4th year, the youngest maybe being 2nd year. No one seems to be 1st year. Except us.

"Hurry up and get up there," Himoto whispers into my ear. I nod and stand up. My legs feel wobbly. I feel stupid standing up there with all the other team leaders. Like my Dad, I'm short for my age. Considering that and the fact that they are 2 years older than me, they are a few heads taller than me. Everyone's eyes seemed to be drawn to me, because of that reason. I look so out of place.

"Alright," Aunt Lemon says, she's using her professional, teacher tone. "I'll draw the names now."

She has a basket with laminated papers inside. Each has a team name. At each draw, I silently cross my fingers, hoping we'll get a somewhat fair match up. Already 5 match-ups have been decided. There are only few of us who haven't been drawn yet. And most of the younger teams have been called already.

"Team Lynne," Aunt Lemon announces loudly. Everyone stirs and waits to find out who might be the team leader of this team. I step up, my cheeks bright red. All this attention is driving me crazy. Sure, I was used to having people give all this attention to my parents. But it has never been on me. So this is entirely different.

There are whispers. I'm too small to be a threat. I'm too little to be doing this. I shouldn't be here. I'm scared half to death.

It seems like an eternity before Aunt Lemon pulls out the next team, the team we will be competing against. "Team Katsumo."

I hold my breath, waiting for one of the 3 team leaders left to step forward. To my horror, the tallest, most intimidating one is the one who steps up. He's at least 2 heads taller than me. His hair is an intense shade of black and covers his forehead and the top of his eyes. He's well built, with seemingly strong arms. I gulp nervously. He looks at me and smirks. He's probably thinking about how easy it will be to take me down. How easy he can eliminate me. How easy it will be to knock me down. There must be fear in my eyes, because he's staring into my eyes, trying to scare me off even more. I try to hold my ground. But it's hard.

Aunt Lemon tells us we can step back now. I eagerly comply. I don't need to look at that guy any longer.

As she calls out the remaining two teams, I scan the crowd. I can see Isho-kun and Komanda-kun, gesturing to me that I'm doing a good job. That lightens the weight on my shoulders a little. I must be doing fine.

But then I look at Himoto, his expression unreadable. And that's when my stomach drops. For some reason, his opinion right now is really what mattered most to me.

XxXxX

"The theme for the first round is 'power'," Aunt Lemon addresses everyone. "You are to use a fruit as your main ingredient. The choice in fruit is all up to you. Choose wisely and make sure you present your theme strongly. That is key."

I'm trying to save all this information in my head. It's crucial if we really want to move on to the next round.

"The judging for this round will be fairly simple. There will be 5 judges, each will score the dessert out of 100. Which means the total score will be out of 500. The team with the higher score wins."

Aunt Lemon pauses to let the information sink into everyone's head. When she begins again, I'm still trying to process everything in my mind. This is moving so quickly. It's stressing me out.

"Now is the time to meet other teams, learn what they can do and what you're up against," Aunt Lemon recommends, "Otherwise, you're free to go."

Everyone begins standing and moving around. I squeeze my way through the crowd to find Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and Himoto.

"D-did I do okay?" I ask, panting. It was a struggle just to get to them. Everyone is so much bigger, it's a hassle to get through.

"You did great Lynne-chan," Isho-kun assures me, taking my hand. "No doubt, you were meant for the team leader spot."

That makes me feel a little better. Komanda-kun agrees with Isho-kun. I let go of his hand and look to Himoto. I have this sickening feeling in my stomach. What if I did something stupid? I don't want to have let him down. I'm not sure why I feel like that.

"You looked scared," Himoto says finally. I'm not sure whether that's bad or awful.

Swallowing, I ask, "Is... Is that bad?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know. I mean, it's easy to get scared with a guy like the Katsumo. But still, you don't want people to think we're weak and easily frightened."

For some reason that makes me feel awful. I've let him down and that makes me feel sick. Why I feel like this? Maybe it's because I want to be able to be just as good as him? I don't really know. "Oh. I'm sorry," I mutter shamefully, lowering my head.

From the corner of my eye, I see Isho-kun glare at Himoto. He blinks as if he doesn't understand what he did that was so bad. Isho-kun keeps at it, so he sighs. "It's okay Kashino," He continues, "You did fine."

I look up again. He's looking to the side with his arms crossed. I don't think he's very happy to be forced to apologize.

"Wow, now that I look at you up close, you're even more scrawny then I thought."

I turn around. Standing in front of me is Katsumo. It's the same for me. Up close, he's even more massive than I thought.

"She's pretty small for her age," One of his team mates snickers, "Are you sure you aren't 10?"

I can feel myself blushing. This is humiliating. But I'm not going to give in. They want me to fight back. So I'll do the opposite.

"I am," I agree, trying my best to sound light, no matter how angry I am inside. "It's genetics."

Katsumo seems slightly taken aback because of my reaction. "I see. You must have tiny parents then," He presses on. He's pushing it, really trying to get me angry.

"Yeah," I reply. A little more stiffly this time. I stick my hand out to him, "Well, I hope we can have a good match. Don't you?"

He doesn't bother to accept my handshake. "Listen," He says slowly, leaning forward. I squeak and take a step back. "I'm not here to fool around okay? I don't need 1st years like you getting in my way. So you'd better not try and pull anything stupid."

"Uh... Well..." I stammer aimlessly. I don't know what to say. I really want to argue back, I am serious. I want to win this thing just as badly as he does. But he's so intimidating, I'm frozen.

"Leave her alone," Himoto intervenes. He comes in front of me and shields me with his arm, "You're just trying to scare her off. And that's not going to work." His eyebrows are furrowed and he looks angry, "Because I'm going to be here. So don't you dare come near her."

Katsumo scoffs and turns to one of his team mates, "Her little scrawny boyfriend is trying to protect her."

I blush. Himoto is NOT my boyfriend. How could they even make that mistake? "We're not dating," We say together. I look at Himoto and he's equally red.

"Aw, they even say their sentences together," Katsumo mocks. Clasping his hands together and batting his eyelashes, he continues, "Little love birds sitting in a tree." I realize he's mocking my friendly attitude. That makes me angry.

I step forward to give him a piece of my mind, but Himoto stops me. He's standing alert and says angrily, "Just stop it. It looks idiotic and that's not how she acts."

"Whatever," Katsumo smirks, waving his hand carelessly, "See you later love birds." And he along with his team saunter off. Probably to harass another team.

Himoto finally relaxes and puts his arm down. "Uh... T-thanks," I mutter quietly.

He looks away, not willing to look at me, "Don't worry about it. They were being idiots. I just wanted to give them a piece of my mind."

So he wasn't protecting me. For some reason, I wish it was because of that reason. I push those thoughts out of my head. I don't need to be thinking about stuff like that.

"They have some nerve," Himoto growls angrily, "They're just hot shots who think they're so amazing."

"Now now..." Komanda-kun says, again trying to calm him down, "It's alright."

"Yeah, when we beat them, we'll show them we're not just little kids," I assure him. I put my fist in the air, "I'm definitely not scrawny."

"And you and Himoto are definitely not love birds right?" Isho-kun asks.

My cheeks are turning red again. Me and Himoto? Love birds? Just the thought is ridiculous. "Of course not," We say together. I cross my arms and so does he. Why do we keep doing that? We aren't twins or anything.

XxXxX

We decide it's about time to leave now, after all there's no one we really need to talk to. Meeting our competition was enough. We need to work hard now, Team Katsumo is going to be hard to beat. But we have to win, I'm not going through all of this, just to loose in the first round.

Isho-kun opens the door and we're about to walk out, when someone yells loudly. "KASHINO LYNNE!" I stop abruptly. Whoever it was, said my name really loudly. And for some reason, they sound very scarily familiar...

I turn around, as do the sweet princes. There's a girl with curly red hair, she's standing with her hands firmly on her hips. Her stance is a proud and bold one. She's familiar to me, but I'm not sure why. 3 girls are behind her, two of them standing straight, seemingly at the ready. Ready for what, I'm not sure. The other girl seems shy and is standing back a little.

"I knew I would find you here one day!" The curly head exclaims.

I don't want to be rude but seriously, I'm so confused. "Uh..." I say slowly, with a blank expression on my face, "Not to be rude, but... Who are you?"

She flinches and cries incredulously, "H-how do you not remember me?"

"Am I supposed to?" I ask confusedly, tapping a finger to my chin.

"It is I! Koshiro Maya!" She exclaims loudly, shaking her head, causing her curly locks to fling around her shoulders crazily. It's like she's having a seizure. "Surely you remember me now?"

"Wait, Koshiro," Komanda-kun says, "As in Koshiro, the family who own Chateaux Seika?"

"Ohohoho!" Maya trills, returning to her bold hand-on-hips stance, "OF COURSE!"

It is then I remember. That laugh, it makes me shudder. "Wait, Koshiro Maya? From... From girl guides?" I ask. No way. She can't be here. I haven't seen her since I was 5 years old.

When we were 5, we were in girl guides together. I remember our heated competition to see who could sell the most cookies and win that beloved bicycle. I ended up losing, but even then, Maya declared me her rival the next time she saw me. She said she was going to follow me and take me down in anything I did. But I hadn't heard from her in years, so I just thought she forgot. Apparently not so.

"Now you remember me," Maya says exasperatedly, "No matter. I found you and would like to say something."

"Go ahead," I say blandly, I know how she is. Or at least, how she was at 5 years old.

"I am going to beat you in this competition Lynne!" She exclaims proudly, "You may have gotten lucky with selling so many girl guide cookies back when we were kids, but you won't get anywhere this time!"

I blink twice before responding, "Why do you care about that so much? I didn't even beat you. You won."

"Yeah," She says, with a pout to her lips, "But... You sold too many for my satisfaction. So I'm going to take you down this time. Don't think you're going to go anywhere!"

"She knows what she talking about!" One of the girls behind her says.

"Perfect as always!" The other exclaims.

"Who are they?" Isho-kun asks, pointing.

The 2 girls bow and introduce themselves. The first has long blue hair that goes to her mid-back. She wears circle-shaped glasses that accent her big navy eyes. "My name is Sitio," She says politely, "It's a pleasure."

The other girl looks just like Sitio, yet she's totally different. Her hair is short, only clearing past her chin. But it's also blue. And she has side bangs, swept over to draw you to her eyes. Her eyes are just like Sitio's, if not a shade lighter. She doesn't wear glasses, so it also makes her appear younger than the other. "I'm Shikufu."

"You guys looks a lot like each other," Komanda-kun comments, staring between the both of them.

"Well," Sitio says, "We're twins. So I'd hope we look similar."

"Totally," Shikufu continues with a shrug, "But Sitio's the older one. Only by a few minutes though."

Maya rolls her eyes, "Oh would you two be quiet? I'm trying to declare a rivalry here!"

"Sorry Maya," Shikufu sighs.

"Yes, Sorry Maya," Sitio repeats.

"Anyway," Maya continues, "You'd better not forget about me again Lynne!" She cries with another screechy laugh, she places her hands back on her hips and flashes a victorious smile. As if she's already won something.

"Whatever," I say, with a blank expression. The best way to overcome her is not to show her how much you care. I learned that much as a kid.

"Why you have nerve..." Maya begins, but she's interrupted.

"Are you done yet?" Himoto asks, with his arms crossed. "Seriously, if you didn't notice, we were LEAVING. Therefore, that means we are busy and have to get going."

Maya stops in her tracks, "Woah," she says softly. She's staring at Himoto with her mouth open slightly. "You're cute." She whispers.

She twitched slightly before jumping straight for him. Himoto gasps in surprise, but before he can move, she's latched onto his arm like a leech. "Hey cutie, what's your name?"

"Uh..." Himoto is at a loss for words, trying to shake her off. "C-could you get off of me?"

"Tell me your name first!" Maya exclaims loudly, rubbing her cheek against his neck. I can tell Himoto is uncomfortable and it makes me smile. It's amusing to watch.

"H-Himoto Kazuye," He tells her, before shaking her off, "Now get off of me."

"Oh Kazuye-kun," Maya murmurs, letting go and pouting, "Don't worry. You'll understand some day."

Himoto furrows his brows confusedly. And I think he's slightly alarmed by Maya straight up calling him by his first name, "Understand what?" He asks carefully.

"That we're meant to be silly!" She trills, tossing her red locks behind her.

"W-what?" He stammers, with his eyes wide.

"Well anyway," Maya says lightly, "You said you guys were busy, so we'll be going now. Sitio, Shikufu, we're leaving."

"Yes Maya!" They agree quickly. Maya brushes past us and saunters out of the room. Sitio, Shikufu and the shy girl following at her heels.

"W-wait!" Himoto yells after her hastily, "What do you mean we're meant to be?" But she's already gone.

Isho-kun clears his throat, "Well, we've sure met some... Interesting people today."

Komanda-kun nods in agreement, "You've got that right."

"No matter," I cheer, raising my hands in the air I continue, "We've just got to work hard and make it past the 1st round, am I right?"

"Right," Isho-kun and Komanda-kun say together.

We all look to Himoto but he's still frozen, staring at the door. "Himoto?" I ask.

He turns to face us, a look of horror on his face, "W-what did she mean we were meant to be?"

It's then I burst out laughing at his expression. I can tell already. This grand prix is going to be a good one.

* * *

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	10. Power, Like A Punch!

**Me: Hi! I'm back! :D**

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**Me: Ouch. X.x**

**Anyway, tomorrow is the 28th of August and that means, tomorrow this story is officially one month old. I'm already at 92 reviews, which amazes me. So thank you everyone!**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 10: Power, Like a Punch!

After the grand prix orientation, the sweet princes and I make our way to a different kitchen to discuss what we're going to do for the first round.

We have one week before our match. I've learned firsthand, one week is not a lot of time.

"So what are we going to do?" I ask finally. Pulling out a stool, I sit and place my elbows on the table. Himoto sits in the stool next to me and Komanda-kun and Isho-kun sit across from us.

The three seem to be pondering the thought. "Well," Komanda-kun says slowly, "We're supposed to represent 'power' in a fruit based dessert."

"How about we start by choosing a fruit as our base?" Himoto suggests finally, "After all, it's the most important piece to the dessert."

I nod in agreement. "How about using strawberries?" Isho-kun looks up to the ceiling as he thinks, "They're very cute looking, but have a deep, powerful taste."

"That's a good idea," Komanda-kun agrees, with a nod of his head.

Himoto nods silently. They all turn to me. I think they expect me to agree with the idea. But, truthfully, I'm not feeling it. Why? Because, strawberries seem like something Mom and Dad would have done. I want to go into this grand prix and show them I'm not my Mom and Dad. I'm my own person and I'll do whatever I feel is right, not what they did.

"Well..." I trail off awkwardly, "It's a good idea, but..."

"It's too similar to her parents' ideas," Fraise pops out of the oven, followed by Kumquat, Raspberry and Toffee.

It finally occurs to me that the sweet spirits have been gone for a few days now. "Where did you guys go?" I ask curiously.

Fraise sighs and lands on my shoulder, "Didn't you listen to me? I said we were going to the Sweets Kingdom for an exam. That's where we've been for the past like, week or two."

I remember it vaguely, but not really.

Kumquat sighs, "Ugh. Trust her to forget."

I narrow my eyes at the blonde spirit, "What's that supposed to mean?"

She tosses her hair and replies snidely, "Nothing."

"Anyway," Fraise continues, "what Lynne wants to say is that strawberries sound too much like something that her parents would have done. She wants to do something new and different. Isn't that right Lynne?" Fraise smiles at me, proud of herself for how well she knows me.

I nod meekly, "I... I guess so."

Himoto sighs, placing his elbows on the table beside mine, he says, "Trust you to make everything difficult."

"No," Komanda-kun has his thinking face on, "I think what Kashino-chan is saying is reasonable. We want to be known as our own team with our own ideas. Not a copycat team."

"Agreed," Isho-kun seconds.

Himoto rolls his eyes, "So what are we going to do then?"

Kumquat lands in the middle of the counter and instructs, "Well, think about it of course."

"Because it's not like we're already doing that," I reply to her sarcastically. With a roll of my eyes, I think, she really is just like her partner.

She scowls and snaps, "Well, Ms. I'm Always Right. Do you have any better suggestions?"

"Don't talk to my partner like that!" Fraise exclaims angrily. Jumping down from my shoulder she summons her spoon.

Kumquat summons her own cutlery and soon they're clashing them together angrily. Fighting, as usual.

"Stop it-desu!" Raspberry moans, tumbling onto the table clumsily. "You've been doing this all through the exam up until now!"

Both Fraise and Kumquat huff at the same time and turn away from each other. "Maybe we should all split apart and think about it," Isho-kun suggests. Everyone is tired from our week of intense training. We could really all use a break, "We'll meet up again in about 2 days and share our ideas. How's that?"

"I think it's a good idea," I agree. Taking up my role as team leader, I instruct them, "Alright. 2 days and we meet up here again. Same time."

"Okay," Komanda-kun agrees, "And if anyone has an idea, feel free to make a sketch on how it should look."

"Whatever," Himoto says quietly.

XxXxX

There's only 2 nights left until our first grand prix match and we still haven't decided what our sweet will be. Fraise and I decide to finally check out Salon de Marie for inspiration. I don't know how many times I've delayed that trip, so I'm sure now is the time to go. Texting Hana-chan, I invite her to come along. She tells me to go right ahead and she'll be there in 20 minutes. She's just finishing up some last minute studying.

I walk into Salon de Marie; the door bell tickles as I step inside. The student at the counter looks up and smiles at me. Waving at her, she waves back with a friendly smile, "Welcome to Salon de Marie. Can I help you?"

"Do you have a table for two?" I ask, looking at the full cafe, "My friend is coming to meet me here."

The girl nods, "Of course." She comes out from behind the counter and leads me to a table near the back. It is beside the window and I can see the lake in the distance. The girl smiles and places a menu down in front of me.

Flipping it open, I scan the list on desserts and am in awe of all the choices. I look for fruit desserts that spark my creativity. "Do you recommend any fruit desserts?" I ask the girl, reading her nametag; I realize her name is Amami.

Amami smiles at me sweetly. She must really like her job. "Well," She points to the menu, "There is Katsumo-senpai's berry cheesecake trifle."

"Berry Cheesecake Trifle?" I repeat in awe. That sounds amazing. The part that bothers me is that it's Katsumo's creation. "Isn't Katsumo in middle school? I thought only high school students have sweets here."

"Oh, well, Katsumo-senpai's level could very well be one of a high schooler, so he has a few desserts here," Amami tells me.

That makes me nervous. Katsumo's sweets are good enough to be in Salon de Marie? We're totally screwed unless we come up with an idea soon.

"Okay," I tell Amami, "I'll get that then... And one for my friend too."

Amami takes the menu into her arms and nods, "Of course. I'll be right back."

While she saunters off towards the kitchen, I sink back into my seat. I'm already losing confidence. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.

Hana-chan arrives as the cake does. "Wow Lynne-chan!" She gasps. She sits across from me and Amami puts a plate with a slice of beautiful looking cake on it in front of each of us. "This looks amazing." She picks up her fork to take a bite, but sees my worried face. "What's wrong?"

The cake is a layered cheesecake like thing, I can tell by how it looks, it's professional. One layer is angel food cake, next is a layer of some sort of cream cheese mixture thus, why it is called 'cheesecake'. Next is a layer of strawberries and blue berries. The pattern repeats until the cake is topped with a layer of whipped cream and a medley of berries scattered on the top.

"This... This was made by my competition," I murmur quietly, "The guy who made this is my opponent in the first round of the middle school grand prix."

Hana-chan's eyes widen, "This was made by a middle schooler? Woah..." She picks up her fork and takes a small piece of cake. She puts it into her mouth and her eyes widen slightly.

There's a sickening feeling in my stomach. Doom.

Swallowing, Hana-chan tells me to try some. Hesitantly, I take a bite of my own slice. It's amazing, the texture is very light. The angel food cake is spongy, the cheesecake layer is light and creamy, the fruits are tart, contrasting beautifully. It's like, an angel in heaven, soaring across the sky, magnificent, white feathered wings, flying gracefully and watching over all the people.

It's beautiful.

"Oh wow," I breathe softly, taking another bite, "This is amazing."

Hana-chan nods in agreement, "You're going to have your work cut out for you."

I stare at my plate, "This is a fruit dessert, he could totally use this for the grand prix match. They most likely are."

"So... What are you and the sweet princes going to do?" Hana-chan asks curiously, taking a sip of her water before going back for another bite of cake.

I blush at this, "W-well, we haven't decided yet."

"You'd better decide soon," Hana-chan warns me, "To come up with a dessert better than this could take weeks."

I gulp nervously. We only have a few days.

XxXxX

Hana-chan leaves a while after, she didn't finish her studying and needs to get back to it. I'm staring at my empty plate. That had to be one of the most amazing cakes I've ever had. I can only imagine what kind of score that might get.

I need to show this to the guys. Amami comes to collect the dishes and I ask her, "Could I have one more of those to go?"

She nods and smiles, "Of course." At the register, she hands me a small cake box in a plastic bag, "Here you go, thank you for coming to Salon de Marie."

I pay her and walk out of the shop. With the bag in hand, I look around the campus. I have no idea where the boys might be. But I need to show them this, right away.

"So, where are we going?" Fraise asks. She pokes her head out of the pocket on my shirt. I asked her to stay quiet while I was with Hana-chan. I'm quite certain she doesn't have a sweets spirit.

"We're going to go looking for the sweet princes," I tell her. Fraise pops out of my pocket and flies up high to see if any of them are outside.

When she floats back down, she points her spoon towards the glass gazebo, "Well, I think I saw Himoto and Kumquat in there."

Out of the three sweet princes, it had to be Himoto Fraise found? Sheesh. Just my luck. I run over to the gazebo, but try not to jostle the box too much.

XxXxX

"Himoto!" I call out as I near the gazebo. He looks up from whatever he was working on to stare at me.

He has books and papers surrounding him. I really hope I didn't just interrupt something important.

"What are you doing?" I ask curiously. Sliding into the bench that surrounds the table, I move beside him to see what he's doing.

"I'm trying to come up with an idea for our match," He sighs deeply, pushing it aside so I can't see it, "Well, I WAS until someone interrupted me."

I roll my eyes, "As much as coming up with an idea is important, this is too!" I place the cake box on the space he cleared.

"Cake?" Himoto asks, raising an eyebrow. With a smirk he says, "You really are a glutton."

"Agreed," Kumquat sighs from her perch on a stack of books.

I pout my lips, "You guys are mean!"

Fraise stands behind Kumquat, "Seriously. Do you not have anything better to do besides insulting my partner?"

"Excuse me," Kumquat shrugs, "At least I picked a good partner."

Fraise puffs out her cheeks angrily, "What's that supposed to mean?!" She summons her spoon, "You're so rude!"

"Ugh," Kumquat rolls her eyes and flies upward, "Please don't bother me with any more spoon and fork fights. It's getting old." She turns to Himoto, "I'm going to go sightseeing a little."

I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to go sightseeing. She just doesn't want to be here with Fraise and I. "Wait a minute!" Fraise yells after her, "You can't just fly away from me like that!" She pursues Kumquat, so I'm left by myself with Himoto.

"This isn't just any cake," I tell him, my voice low and serious, "I went to Salon de Marie for fun and tried a fruit cake made by Katsumo. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the cake his team makes for the grand prix."

Himoto seems a little more interested now. "Oh really?" He says, taking the box out of the plastic bag, he flips it open to stare at the cake. "Hm, it has nice presentation."

"That's what I thought," I agree, nodding my head, "It looks so pretty."

Himoto continues eyeing it, "No doubt, it's Salon de Marie worthy." He fishes a plastic fork out of the plastic bag so he can sample it.

Cutting off a small portion, he puts it in his mouth and begins to chew thoughtfully. Once he's swallowed, he stares back at the cake, "Well. It has good taste too."

His expression is blank though. "Do you think he's going to make this for the grand prix?" I ask him impatiently, pushing him by the shoulder.

He tries to shrug me off, to no avail. "Well... Maybe. I don't know. You can never tell with that guy. But... There's something missing in this cake. I don't know what it is though."

That's weird. I didn't notice anything wrong with it. Could this piece of cake be faulty? "It tastes good, but... It doesn't really have a defining taste that makes you remember it."

I'm about to reply when he scoops up more with his fork and shoves it into my mouth, "Here. Taste it again."

"Urk!" I gasp, he pulls the fork away from my mouth and I chew. I'm not going to mention that's already used that fork; he's going to make fun of me for making it a big deal. Now that I'm thinking about what he's said, Himoto's right. There's no definition to this cake. It tastes good and well done, but there's nothing that singles it out from any other cake made the same way.

So, if Katsumo's team is going to use this for the match, we'll need to come up with something that not only tastes good, but has definition.

"You're right," I agree finally, after swallowing.

Himoto nods and sets the fork down. "Aren't I always?" I roll my eyes and look to him to see if he's joking. He's not. Like usual.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumble, leaning back I finish, "Don't remind me."

Himoto closes the cake box and sets it back in the plastic. Pushing it off to the side, he asks, "So... Do you have any ideas since our meeting?"

"It's only been a few hours," I reply, sticking out my tongue, "What makes you think I've got anything?"

Himoto rolls his eyes, "I just assumed. Sorry. For your information, I've already come up with a handful of ideas." My jaw drops. How does he work so fast? I haven't even been able to choose a fruit I'd like us to use. He smiles at my expression. "Geez. You're so slow."

"Shut up!" I moan, crossing my arms. "So, what have you got?" I look across the table where there are many loose papers with quickly drawn sketches on them.

Sifting through a pile, Himoto holds up one piece of paper, "Well. I like this one the most."

It's some sort of pie with pineapple and oranges. I'm not sure what the filling is, but it's topped with slices of orange and pineapple. The crust is decorated that the edge is braided, I've never been able to do that before. "Wow, that's nice." I say finally, after looking at the whole thing.

"And boring," Himoto sighs, sinking back in the bench and putting the paper on the table, "I can't think of a way to make it interesting. It's too traditional. I just liked the idea of using pineapple and orange because they are strong, citrus fruits that remind me of power. After all, you have to remember the theme."

The idea of pineapple and orange is interesting. I like it. The only thing that needs to be done is boosting the sweet's creativity.

An idea comes to me, "Oh! I've got an idea."

Himoto raises his eyebrow curiously, "Yeah? What's that?"

I think back to the orientation, "Remember when I was standing up there with the rest of the middle school team leaders?"

He nods, with a smirk on his face, he laughs, "You looked pretty pathetic up there."

I blush, but ignore the comment, "I realized how much bigger they are compared to us. But I'm sure, our skill is right up there with them. After all, you three are the top of class of all the first years, and I've had my parents teach me since I was a kid."

Himoto lowers his eyelids, "Just where are you going with this Kashino?"

"Well, I like your idea of flavouring, but what if we changed how the sweet looked? What if we made it look sweet and small?"

Confusion flickers through his eyes, "Why would we do that? It goes against the whole theme of power. If the sweet is small and 'sweet-looking' it'll have the theme of weakness."

"You didn't let me finish," I stick out my tongue, "the sweet itself will be simple and small, but what if the flavour is positively powerful? Kind of like a punch in the face. It kind of shows, 'okay yeah, we're small, but we're a lot more powerful than we appear.'"

I look at Himoto's expression. Unsure of whether he agrees with my idea. Hesitantly, he says, "Why don't you draw it out so I can see what you're thinking?"

I take the paper with his pineapple and orange pie design and flip it over. As I sketch, Himoto is looking over my shoulder. Dropping the pencil onto the table, I show him my idea, "How's this?"

Himoto stares at it for a second, examining what seems to be every detail. "Huh, what do you know? That might just work." He says at last.

XxXxX

The next day, the day before we're set to battle it out with Team Katsumo I explain me and Himoto's idea to Isho-kun and Komanda-kun. We really are cutting it close; we really should have begun figuring out how we were going to make this sweet a long time ago. But we only came up with it yesterday.

"Wait," Isho-kun says, still staring at the drawing, "You and Himoto came up with this together?"

Clearing my throat, I reply, "Well... It just kind of happened."

Isho-kun nods reluctantly. "Why is it that you guys always seem to be together?" He asks curiously, "It's like you plan it or something."

"We don't," Himoto and I say together. I look at him and he looks at me. This is so awkward. Why do we keep doing that? I blush and look away.

"Anyway," I whisper, half wanting to change the topic, half wanting to start baking, "Are you guys okay with this idea?"

Komanda-kun agrees full heartedly, "I think it's a great idea. It's an interesting take on 'power' which is sure to get us some sort of edge."

Isho-kun is in agreement too. I pump my fist in the air, "Let's do this!"

We've got all night. We just have to finish by tomorrow. If not, we're totally dead.

Fraise and the rest of the spirits are standing in the middle of the table, "We're here to help you guys," Toffee says with a bow, "In the actual competition, we aren't allowed to help, but we'll do the best we can so you guys can complete the creation of the sweet."

I smile at them, "Thanks guys! You're real life savers."

"Hmph," Kumquat sneers, turning away, "If you keep relying on people, you'll get nowhere."

XxXxX

Our idea, is to make orange and pineapple pie. Each will be individual sized, with two on a plate. The plating will be fairly simple, to go along with our sweet and naive appearance. Two individual pies with whipped cream and a sprinkle of orange zest on top.

A simple orange and pineapple pie uses, of course, pineapple and oranges and their syrup. You also need unflavoured gelatin, sugar, 4 separated eggs, and lemon juice and zest.

You mix together the gelatin along with 1/3 cup of sugar. And then add the 4 egg yolks blended with the syrup canned oranges come with, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and ½ a teaspoon of lemon zest.

Then, you put it over medium/high heat for 5-6 minutes. The time depends on how quickly the gelatin dissolves. You have to remember to stir twice. Then you chill it, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, you beat the egg whites with ½ a cup of sugar until it's stiff. After that, you fold in the gelatin mixture and the pineapple and oranges. Pour it into your should already be made pie crust and chill it in the refrigerator until it's firm.

After, you can decorate it however you want. So, it's a fairly simple recipe. But if we want to make it taste professional and unique, we're going to have to make it creative and our own.

It's 12 o'clock and we're still there, Himoto and I are working on the filling recipe, while Isho-kun and Komanda-kun work on the pie crust.

I yawn softly and rub at my eyes; this is the longest we've stayed up together. The sweet spirits helped us out at first, but they soon retired. They're sleeping under a napkin we spread over them. "You okay?" Himoto asks.

We're cutting up pineapples and I've paused to rub my eyes. "I'm extremely tired, that's all," I reply, as if it's no big deal.

"If you're so tired you should rest," He tells me, "Don't push yourself too hard. I know... I know your Dad's done that before a grand prix match right?"

Blushing a little, I nod, "Yeah. He stayed up all night without any sleep at all and went straight into a grand prix final. He passed out in the middle of it."

"And that cost them the match," Himoto says, "They got lucky that they were still able to go to Paris, we might not be so lucky."

"I k-know that," I stammer sheepishly.

"So rest if you need it," He whispers, taking the cutting knife out of my hand.

I stare at him, "What about you?"

He shrugs nonchalantly, continuing to cut more fruit, "You need it more."

XxXxX

After a break, I continue to work alongside Himoto. It's already 2am. Komanda-kun and Isho-kun are taking the individual sized pie crusts out of the oven. This is their 2nd attempt at making their own pie crust recipe. Thank sweets, it's a success.

Himoto and I have just about finished the filling, so once the pie crusts cool we pour the filling in. Isho-kun puts them into the fridge so they can chill. It's 2:30 in the morning and we're all so tired.

"We did it," I say finally.

The three nod in agreement. The whipped cream topping is finished too, we can put it on once the pies are chilled completely.

"Now we just wait for the pies to set..." Komanda-kun trails off with a yawn.

Sleepily, I nod in agreement. Yawning, I lay my arm on the counter as a pillow for my head. I'll close my eyes for just for a little bit. Just to rest my eyes.

XxXxX

I wake up from the sounds of birds chirping outside. My body feels sore and I realize, I'm not sleeping on a bed. That's right, we were staying up to finish our grand prix sweet. I must have fallen asleep and not woken up again. Willing my eyes to open, no matter how tired I still am, I'm surprised to see Himoto sleeping on the counter right beside me.

"Eek!" I gasp quietly. Startled, I sit up. That is one interesting way to start the day. I look around the room, Komanda-kun and Isho-kun are sleeping too. Crossing the room, to the fridge, I take out the pies. It seems the boys fell asleep before we put the whipped cream on them too. So I do it myself.

"A-achoo!" I look up from my work, it's Himoto. He's still sleeping, but he's cold. All he's got on is a thin T-shirt, no wonder. Plus, the air conditioning in the kitchen rooms always seems to be on. I slip off my sweater and drape it over his shoulders. It's the least I can do.

As soon as I finish decorating the pies, Isho-kun is the first to stir. "Lynne-chan?" He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes and staring in my direction.

"Good morning," I greet, holding up one of the pies, "Do you want one? We should probably try it before we go ahead and make it for the match."

He laughs softly and nods. We sit side by side and sample the pie. It's perfect, chilled to be firm. Yet, it's fluffy and light. The whipped cream isn't too heavy and the citrus fruits have the perfect punch.

"It's great," I smile happily. I'm so glad it all worked out. Next time, we can't leave this too last minute, or else we might not be able to finish it in time. This was hard enough.

Isho-kun is smiling along with me, "You did it Lynne-chan."

Blushing a little, I say, "That's not true, we all did it."

"That's true," He replies, "But you did a lot of it. You came up with the idea."

I lay my fork down, "Well, Himoto helped me a lot."

Isho-kun sighs, his face looks somewhat downcast. "You and Himoto seem to get along well."

"I guess," I reply slowly. "Are you okay?"

He nods, "Tell me Lynne-chan, what do you think of Himoto?"

What's with the random question? Himoto... He's not as bad as I thought he was. His first impression on me was a little messed up, but as I got to know him, I learned more about him and the depth to why he acts the way he does. I guess I could say we're friends. Maybe even best friends. We've shared a lot with each other. He's confided in me about me saving his life and I told him about all my worries about the grand prix. I'd say we're close. As close as you could be with someone you've only known for a while.

"We're friends," I reply finally, "Why do you ask?"

Isho-kun shakes his head, "It's nothing." I'm going to say more, when someone interrupts us.

"Are those the finished product?" It's Komanda-kun, looking over the pies.

"This is it," I say, with a gleam in my eye. "Do you want one?" He nods yes and I grab him one. We all sit together in silence for a while.

Himoto is still asleep, he must be really tired. Komanda-kun looks over at him, "Ka-kun really pushed himself last night."

I stare at Komanda-kun with curious eyes, "How so?"

"Well... He woke up early last morning," Komanda-kun says with a sigh, "He called me about how he couldn't sleep. Apparently, he was barely sleeping at all that night. Something about feelings and having too many thoughts. I'm not sure, he was having trouble explaining. Last night, he didn't stop. He let you take all the breaks, did you notice?"

I blush guilty at this. I knew it. But he kept refusing. Himoto kept saying I needed it more. He used my lack of knowledge against me, if I had known he hadn't slept well I would have said he needed it more. "Yeah," I reply finally.

"I just hope he can pull through the match," Isho-kun says quietly.

I think back to our conversation about my Dad and Team Ichigo's grand prix final. Himoto would never push himself so far like that, it's the very thing he warned me about.

"I'm sure he won't," I say, a small smile on my face, "... He knows his body better than anyone. He'll know if he'll be able to do it."

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun nod in agreement. I look at Himoto and then at the clock.

There's only 4 hours until our match against Team Katsumo is going to start.

* * *

**Me: This is the longest chapter for this story, I'm pretty sure. It's almost 5k words!**

**Ichigo: Wow.**

**Me: Thank you everyone for your constant support. Please review! I'm really hoping I'll be able to hit the 100 review mark with this chapter, but even if I don't... That's okay.**

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**Love,**

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	11. Prove it, First Grand Prix Match!

**Kashino: Where have you-**

**Me: I'M SO SORRY EVERYONE! Dx**

**Ichigo: Woah. What's up?**

**Me: I'm so sorry to everyone following this story for not updating on Monday/Tuesday. I was actually super upset myself.**

**Kashino: Thanks for cutting me off. Where have you been all week?**

**Me: Well... I started high school on Tuesday. Let me tell you, high school is a LOT different than elementary. There's homework like, everyday. I'd only get like an hour on my laptop every other day. Finishing a chapter of My Journey, My Story takes at least 3 hours. **

**So everyone, I'm extremely sorry for not updating. Is it okay with everyone if I move this story's update day to Saturday? **

**Sorry for the inconvenience. :(**

**Anyway, as usual, I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere.**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 11: Prove it, First Grand Prix Match!

Soon after, the sweet spirits wake up and fly over to us. They each sample a bit of our pie and agree that it is ready to make for the grand prix.

Time is going way faster than I would like it to. We only have 3 more hours left. As much as I'd like to let Himoto sleep, we have to wake him up now.

I go around the table and beside Himoto. "Himoto..." I whisper softly, shaking him by the shoulders, "Y-you have to wake up now..."

I feel awful about having to wake him up when he's so tired. But someone's got to do it.

He grumbles softly and shies away from me. It makes me feel guilty, but I continue, leaning closer to his ear. "Come on... I know you're tired, b-but, you have to wake up..."

"5 more minutes..." He mutters softly, turning his head around. He's so stubborn.

"No, come on, we have a grand prix match today. You have to get up," I'm getting a little flustered now. This is just awkward, "Come on Himoto..."

He slowly opens one eye and sighs, "Of course it would be you Kashino, always having to bother me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I huff exasperatedly, "Get up!" I shove him off to the right and it catches him off guard.

"Ah!" He gasps. Himoto loses his balance and reaches forward to grab something to keep him anchored. It happens to be my wrist.

I tumble forward over the stool and land on top of him. "AHH!" I screech loudly. Pushing him down, I scream, "What are you doing?!"

His face is red. I think it's because he can't breathe. "What am I doing? What are you doing? GET OFF!"

I roll over, my face feeling warm. My gosh, that's the second time I've fallen on him. That's just incredibly awkward.

"What was that for?" Himoto demands. He stands up, still red, "I was going to wake up already!"

I scoff, "Was not. Plus, you were making fun of me. I had the total right to push you!"

"That's enough-desu!" Raspberry interrupts our argument. She looks to be near tears, though she usually looks like that. "No fighting! Today is an important day!"

I huff and cross my arms as does Himoto. "It's his fault," I grumble softly.

Himoto whispers, "It's her fault," at the same time.

I'm starting to wonder about us saying sentences together. It's a little weird. It's like we're always thinking the same thing.

Isho-kun sighs, "Come on guys, we have a grand prix match in 3 hours. We've got to get going."

I open my mouth to reply, but Komanda-kun speaks first, "He's right you know. Come on, we have to get going."

I'm done with arguing, we need the energy for the match, "Fine," I agree begrudgingly.

"Let's hurry up and get ready," Isho-kun instructs. He's acting more of a team leader than I am, "We'll meet back here in an hour."

XxXxX

Now's the time. We met up about half an hour ago and now, me and the sweet princes are waiting in the locker room for the match to start.

Our grand prix uniform is simple, as it's only the middle school grand prix. It pretty much looks like our baking uniform but in a shade of dark blue.

I'm so nervous, I'm shaking. This is it. It's time for the first grand prix match of my life. I can hear the crowd of people in the kitchen room that we're using. They are all whispering excitedly. Most of them are 4th years that know of Team Katsumo. Only a handful of them are there for us. That makes it even more stressing.

One of the teacher judges comes inside the room, "Team Lynne. It's time to start."

I stand up shakily, my legs wobbling precariously. Together, we follow the teacher down the hall.

"Calm down," Himoto whispers from behind me, "It's okay."

For some reason, that assures me a little bit.

The teacher opens the door for us, the room is pitch black. I gulp and follow them; they lead us to our side and leave for the judges table.

"Alright!" The lights turn on, Aunt Lemon has a microphone in her hand, "It's time to start the first match in the middle school grand prix!"

Everyone cheers excitedly, it's like I can feel the vibrations traveling through the floor.

"Team Katsumo," Aunt Lemon continues. There's a tremendous roar from the crowd of students. Everyone seems to be here for them. We're just nobodies they think they just need to knock out so they can move on.

"Versus Team Lynne!"

There's a small cheer. One little section in the front is waving their arms cheerfully, "Go Lynne-chan! You can do it!"

It's Hana-chan. A smile breaks out on my face. She has to be the sweetest person I know.

"There will be 3 hours to complete your sweet," Aunt Lemon instructs us, her voice booming over the speakers, "You will make a sweet representing the theme of power, using fruit as your main ingredient. 5 judges, including myself will grade your work out of 100 for a total score of 500. Good luck teams!"

There's a moment of silence. A tense, half of a second, feeling like everyone is waiting for her to say the words...

"Start baking!"

XxXxX

Both mine and Katsumo's team start. We need all the time we can get. Himoto and I are working on the pie filling while Komanda-kun and Isho-kun work on making the individual sized pie crusts.

The pies will need time to chill, so we need to save enough time at the end for that. They need to chill for at least an hour, that way we know they are completely set and aren't going to be mushy.

It's been about an hour and we've been working well. Himoto and I have just about finished the filling and Komanda-kun is starting to spoon them into the first batch of pie crusts. Isho-kun is just bringing in the last pan of the crusts and then the pies will chill in the fridge for the time being while we prepare plating and decoration.

Team Katsumo is as I thought, making the berry cheesecake. It takes longer to prepare, but it's not like they're running out of time.

I start to help Komanda-kun fill the pies, as does Himoto. "Come on Isho-kun!" I call. He's bringing the pie crusts in from the cooling rack on the other side of the kitchen. A member of team Katsumo is there. I look behind my shoulder and it looks like the member from the other team is in Isho-kun's way.

"Excuse me," Isho-kun says, trying to sidestep past him. He's not budging. Isho-kun looks flustered for a moment. "Um, excuse me... You need to move out of the way..."

The guy finally smiles a coy smile, "Sorry, of course. Pass through." He moves out of Isho-kun's way.

I feel bad for Isho-kun, that must be embarrassing. His face is red and he steps around the team member. As he walks past, I notice an evil flicker pass through his eyes. A feeling of terror washes over me, "Isho-kun! Watch ou-"

But it's too late. The team member of Katsumo's sticks his foot out, causing Isho-kun to trip over him. As he falls to the floor, the tin with the pie crusts arcs through the air before crashing down to the tiled floor. They're crumbled, on the floor and broken. No way can we use them.

We're doomed.

I'm frozen in panic.

It all happened so fast. The 5 pie crusts that Isho-kun had in his hands are now on the floor in a sad heap. Isho-kun is getting up off the floor with clear pain in his eyes. "What was that for?" He finally snaps. He's angry. I can't see why he wouldn't be. First, he embarrassed him and then he knocked him to the floor.

The older boy, who also towers inches above him, says, "It was an accident."

"Accident! Yeah right!" Isho-kun fires away, he's so clearly upset, "That was NOT an accident! Look what you've done!"

There's a commotion in the crowd and a stirring at the judges table. "That's enough," One of the teachers says.

"But he's sabotaged us!" Isho-kun yells, he's really worked up. I feel numb.

"Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about that," Aunt Lemon replies sadly. "You'll just have to make it again."

That's when it finally hits me. We're missing 5 pie crusts. We're five sweets short to complete our sweet.

I look at the clock. We only have 1 hour left. From the corner of my eye, I see Katsumo flash a smirk at me. His eyes are full of question. Just one simple sentence comes from his mouth, "What're you going to do now?"

XxXxX

Isho-kun comes back and he's apologizing like crazy. "Guys, I'm so sorry... If I could have saved them I would," He rambles on, "And for getting so worked up, I just got so upset and..."

I put my hand gently on his shoulder to calm him down. "It's okay Isho-kun, it's not your fault. Katsumo must have planned it all."

Himoto interrupts me, "But that doesn't change anything. We need to finish and we've only got an hour left. There's no way we're going to be able to finish in time."

My shoulders fall forward. He's right.

"Himoto's correct," Komanda-kun murmurs sadly. We were all ready to win this. I can't believe we only got this far.

But this isn't right. We can't give up now. We can't. I didn't stay up all of last night to quit. Maybe Katsumo's underestimated us, maybe we can push forward and finish.

"Guys," I ask strictly, "Are you saying you give up?"

They all look to me. A serious expression is on my face and my hands are on the counter. This is what being the team leader is about. Leading the team in times like this. "You can't give up; we didn't stay up all night to give up with an hour left in the competition. We didn't practise time and time again to give up!"

"Do you remember what the theme is? Power. We need to show them how powerful we are. We can't be that easy to bring down. We have to show them we're better than they think we are."

I pause and look each of them in the eye, a split-second each. I'm trying to see the fire of determination in their eyes. I lock gazes with Himoto and whisper, "We've got to try. Come on, please?" I put my hand out in the middle, signalling I want us to be in this together.

Closing my eyes, I pray that one of them, any of them will agree with me.

"We haven't gotten this far for nothing." It's Himoto. I look up at him and he places his hand on top of mine, "I'm not going down without a fight."

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun exchange glances before nodding. They also put their hands in the middle.

My heart leaps. We still have a chance, if we try hard enough, we'll be able to make it.

A smile as what seems as wide as a watermelon, "So what are we waiting for? Let's get going before time runs out!"

The three boys smile and nod, "RIGHT!"

XxXxX

"Hurry hurry hurry!" I yell loudly. Our side of the match is in frenzy, there's half an hour left. We've got the 5 pies we finished an hour ago in the fridge chilling. The pie crusts for the other 5 are just done cooling. They're only going to get half an hour in the fridge before we have to serve them.

That's not enough time and I'm praying that we'll be alright. Himoto gets them from the cooling rack this time and lays them out in front. We all start spooning in the filling like crazy. Every few seconds I glance at the clock, each second ticking by painfully.

With all of our efforts, we finally get the pies into the fridge to chill for the little time they have.

"We did it," I breathe finally. I'm so fatigued. We pushed so hard to be able to finish those. Now all we can do is wait for the pies to chill.

"And we couldn't have done it without you Lynne-chan," Isho-kun whispers sweetly, taking my hand, "If you weren't there to encourage us, I'm pretty sure we would have given up."

Komanda-kun agrees with him, "It's just one of the many reason you should be the team leader."

All the compliments make my face turn red, "W-well... I wasn't ready to give up."

"No one was, but you helped us see that," Himoto answers from behind me. I turn around to face him. His face is expressionless, but I feel like maybe his facial expression isn't as hard as it used to be, "We wouldn't be able to do this without you."

For some reason that makes my heart beat faster. It must be the adrenaline. "Thanks," I choke out finally.

The clock rings out. We all turn to look, "OKAY!" Aunt Lemon yells, "You've got 15 more minutes!"

"We should start plating the pies that have been chilling for a while," Komanda-kun suggests.

I nod and we all break away to start. That one moment, I felt like we were a true team and that's exactly what I want to feel.

XxXxX

I start sprinkling icing sugar on top of the pies as decoration. It's a race against the clock, as I dust them, the boys are switching the plates so I don't have to stop.

The crowd is yelling out the number of seconds we have now. I've got about 3 more plates to go.

"10! 9! 8! 7!"

2 more.

"6! 5! 4!"

1 more. I'm almost there. Just a little bit more.

"3! 2! 1!"

I drop the sifter in relief. We've just made it. "TIME'S UP!" Aunt Lemon shouts to us, "Put everything down!"

My legs suddenly wobbly. We made it. We did it. It's an overwhelming feeling of relief. It knocks me so hard that I almost fall over. Himoto comes behind me to steady me, "Woah. Are you okay?"

"Uh..." I stammer quietly, "Y-yeah." I stand up straight, "Thanks."

"Alright teams!" Aunt Lemon yells over the noise, "It's time for the judges to sample your creations!" Looking to Katsumo's team, she continues, "Team Katsumo first."

Katsumo stands in front of the 5 judges as his team mates set a plate of dessert in front of each of them. It's the cheesecake from Salon de Marie, as I had predicted. It's a simple slice, cut perfectly and laid on its side so you can clearly see each layer. There is a light drizzle of chocolate on it too.

"Today, we made for you berry cheesecake trifle," Katsumo says with a bow. It's funny, when talking to the sweet princes and I, he's very rude and mean, but when he talks to the teachers, he's polite. "It uses strawberries and blueberries as the main fruits."

"What about theme?" One of the judges on the right asks.

"This sweet is Salon de Marie worthy," Katsumo states boldly, "It's powerful enough to push through the screening process for sweets there, so we assume it'll help us get past this grand prix match as well."

The judges nod and pick up their forks almost all together. They each take a small portion and put it in their mouth. I watch, looking at their eyes, trying to see any form of emotion. Nothing. They are so trained to hide what they are thinking until they say it.

"It has good taste," Aunt Lemon says after a moment of silence.

There is a murmur of agreement from the judges. "I like the balance of sweet, from the cheesecake and angel food cake and the tartness from the berries. Well done Team Katsumo." Another contributes.

"Answer me this," One of the high school teachers ask, "You've chosen this sweet because you believe it must be powerful to be able to be sold in Salon de Marie?"

Katsumo nods, "Yes sir."

He presses his lips together into a tight line, "Very well."

Once the dishes are cleared away and the judges have submitted their score, everyone is staring at the score board. No one's eyes are anywhere else.

The scores start appearing quickly.

89.

86.

92.

87.

91.

Those are amazingly high numbers. They make me nervous. The total score flashes at the end.

445.

The crowd roars and cheers. That's impressive for middle schoolers. I suddenly feel nauseous. We're never going to be able to beat that.

Himoto must have seen my expression. "Calm down," He whispers in my ear, "We haven't lost yet. Just keep your head high and show them what we've got."

That makes me feel a little bit better.

"Alright, Team Lynne," Aunt Lemon says, addressing us to show our dessert. I stand in front of them as Himoto, Isho-kun and Komanda-kun lay out a dish in front of them.

Katsumo is watching, staring at the plates. The little pies with barely any plating at all amuse him. I can see it in his eyes. He thinks we're pathetic. Just let him watch and learn.

"Today we made for you orange and pineapple pie," I say, trying to keep my voice steady, "Our main fruits are orange and pineapple."

The judges have their eyes down at the plate. "It looks very... Plain," One of them says.

"T-that's the idea," I stammer. Now that I think about it, they must think we're crazy for bringing something like this to them, "We may seem just like those pies, small and plain, but we have a lot of power behind us that you won't get to know unless you give us a chance. Please, sample the pies and see what I mean."

There's hesitance in their movements. They're slow to pick up their forks and slow to put the food in their mouth.

I feel like I'm holding my breath. Without a single hint at what they might be feeling, one of the judges say, "You have a strong taste, well done."

That lightens the weight on my shoulders. It's a success, it's good. We're going to be...

"It's not chilled enough," Another says, with a small sigh, she continues, "If you had chilled the pies for longer, it would have turned out a lot better."

I can feel my cheeks turn red. I want to say it's all Team Katsumo's fault. I want to put the blame on them. I want to scream how much of it's their fault. But I can't.

"Unfortunately we ran out of time," I murmur embarrassedly, "But please, it's not like they're falling apart."

Aunt Lemon speaks up, "That aside though, your theme is very strong. I am able to taste the message you are trying to get across. The angle you used for the theme of power is very interesting. Well done Team Lynne."

With those closing remarks, they put away the plates and clear off the table. As they discuss, I gather the sweet princes up to talk with them.

"We did our best guys," I assure them. I can't imagine how stressed they must feel as well, "We can only hope our best is enough."

Himoto nods and puts a hand on my shoulder. It's comforting. "It's all thanks to you anyway. Us three would like to thank you for leading us to do what's right and being the leader we need."

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun exchange looks. It looks like they're surprised to hear that. As if they hadn't said anything about it to Himoto at all.

"Thanks," I mumble quietly.

Aunt Lemon gets everyone's attention again. "Okay! Team Lynne, here is your score."

I cross my fingers tightly and stare at the score board. _Please Kami-sama; please don't let this be the end._

86.

93.

88.

91.

89.

I'm so nervous I can't even add that up. What's the score? Is it enough? Can it get us past the first round? I hold my breath, everyone is trying to add in their head but the number flashes before anyone can finish.

447 fills the total spot, shining in bright lights. The screen clears before 3 words fill the screen.

Winner: Team Lynne.

XxXxX

It takes a while for it to register in my mind. It's only until the sweet spirits come up to us, cheering and congratulating, that I finally get it. We won. We did it!

A huge smile breaks out on my face. "YES!" I cheer, jumping up and down. In my excitement, I give the sweet princes a huge group hug. "Guys we did it!"

They're smiling too. I've pretty much said what we all feel, so they have nothing to say. I put my arms across Isho-kun and Himoto's shoulders and gesture for Komanda-kun to join in. We're all linked together, smiling, when Aunt Lemon addresses the crowd to hush down.

"Congratulation Team Lynne," She says, her tone happy, "All your hard work paid off and you've made it past the first round."

There's nothing that could ruin this moment. We've just made it through the first round.

"HOLD IT!"

The whole room goes silent. Everyone turns to the person who yelled. Katsumo.

"Why did they win?" He asks in a loud voice. "They can't be better than us! There's so... Small."

One of the teachers stands and takes the microphone from Aunt Lemon, "Quiet, listen to the advice I'm going to give you."

Katsumo seems taken aback, but doesn't speak. "Yes, your creation was up to grand prix standards. It was very well done and obviously made better than Team Lynne's under-chilled pies."

That's a little bit of a puncture to the heart, but I ignore it.

"But you lacked in theme," He continues, "I don't consider 'it's powerful enough to get into a shop' to be a strong execution of power. On the other hand, Team Lynne's take on theme was creative and unique. The pies were meant to look small and naive, but if you took the time to taste them, they were packed full of flavour and really did have a powerful taste. Your lack of theme put you behind them, if you had taken the time to think about what you were going to do, instead of thinking of how high class it might seem to bring in a Salon de Marie sweet, you might have been able to win."

Katsumo glowers. I can only imagine how angry and frustrated he must be.

Aunt Lemon takes the microphone back, "With that resolved, Team Lynne, I officially announce you the winners of the first round of the middle school grand prix!"

The crowd cheers for us, especially Hana-chan up in the front. "Great job Team Lynne!" She cheers, waving her arms.

As I hear the crowd and look at each of my team members and the enlightened look on their faces, I realize just how lucky we are.

Basking in the glory of my victory, I can't wait to get further.

* * *

**Me: I'm really sorry if this chapter sucks...**

**Ichigo: Now why would they think that?**

**Me: Well, I usually write a chapter all together, so having to start and stop was difficult for me. So I don't know if that affected my writing.**

**Ichigo: Don't worry too much, I'm sure everyone loved it.**

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	12. Reveal, True Perseverance!

**Me: DON'T KILL ME! I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE!**

**HIGH SCHOOL'S BEEN BUSY AND EVEN NOW I'M IN A RUSH. SO ENJOY THE CHAPTER.**

**I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 12: Reveal, True Perseverance!

After the match with Team Katsumo, we have 3 days before the rest of the first round winners are determined. We wait, but it seems like years before finally they're calling us back to draw second round match ups.

We all meet up in the kitchen classroom once again, Aunt Lemon standing at her white board. She's attached all the team names to magnets and they are on the board for everyone to see.

There are 7 names left. I scan the names, most of them I don't recognize, as the leaders are from grades above us. Although, one name sticks out to me. Team Maya has made it past the first round too.

Aunt Lemon tells us to quiet. The murmurs in the room slowly die down, until all eyes are on her and no one is speaking.

"Congratulations teams on making it past the first round!" Aunt Lemon says excitedly.

Everyone in the room cheers. I smile, happy to be here. "So, it's time to decide the match up for the second round, I need everyone to listen. Team leaders, please come and stand up at the front."

I'm still reluctant about standing amongst the intimidating leaders of the other teams, but somehow, Himoto pushes me forward and I stand in the front.

I can see Maya on the other end of the line. Her curly red locks rest on her shoulders and she's wearing a brave smile. I feel stupid, my hair is in a simple ponytail and I look unsure. Or at least, that's what Himoto tells me.

Aunt Lemon begins calling names. The 7 of us hold our breath each time. I look at each of the older team leaders, besides Maya and I, they all seem to be at least 3rd or 4th year.

"Team Maya," Aunt Lemon announces.

With a cocky smile, Maya laughs confidently, "Ohoho! No doubt, you'll be seeing me in the real grand prix!"

I roll my eyes. She's the exact same as she was when we were little. Over confident. Yet, she usually did win the things she said she would.

Aunt Lemon reaches her hand into her bowl. There's a pause as everyone strains to listen.

"Team Lynne," She says finally.

There's a little flutter in my heart, I step up and stare at Maya. She's staring down at me with her rival look. I send it back to her, equally glaring at her.

We step back after and Aunt Lemon continues to call names. But I don't hear her. I'm too busy staring at Maya.

She's got this look in her eyes. And all I can read from it, is "you're going down."

XxXxX

After the teams are decided and posted on the whiteboard, I go back to the three sweet princes.

"You're doing better up there," Himoto tells me, with a simple tap on the top of my head, "Improvement is a good thing."

"Uh... Y-yeah, I guess," I reply sheepishly.

Aunt Lemon begins writing on the whiteboard. In green marker she writes, 'perseverance'. "Okay teams, the theme for the second round is perseverance. You'll be judged in 5 categories, presentation, creativity, skill, difficulty, theme and taste for a total score of 500."

There's a murmur in the crowd. There's a different judging system for this round.

"Be sure to remember the theme, it's more difficult than last time. I hope you all learned from your first round what mistakes you shouldn't make. Good luck teams!"

That signals the end of the meeting. Everyone gets up and is beginning to file out. The sweet princes and I squish between people to make our way out. We want to think about our sweet now. Not leave it until last minute like last time.

"HEY! LYNNE!" I stop abruptly and groan at the sound. I wanted to get out of here without making a scene...

The sweet princes bump into me when I stop. "What's wrong with you?" Himoto asks.

I turn around, looking for the source of the voice and I realize I'm right up against him, "Ah!" I gasp. He's too close. But we're surrounded by people. I can't move.

People continue pushing through the door, so eventually the crowd lightens and he moves to the side. My face feels hot. That was embarrassing.

"Sorry," He mumbles quietly.

Maya pushes her way through the crowd left, "LYNNE!" She yells loudly again. Sitio, Shikufu and her other team mate are at her heels.

"Yes?" I ask tiredly. I'm itching to get out of here and start already. Why must she stop me?

"I hope you're to lose!" Maya booms confidently, "You may have been lucky to make it past the first round, but I can assure you, you're not getting any farther!"

I roll my eyes at her. She's overreacting, "Yup," I reply blandly, "Totally."

The best way to annoy her is to act like you don't care about what she's saying. It really gets her to blow up.

"Are you not scared?" Maya exclaims, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "YOU SHOULD BE!" She shrieks loudly. So loudly in fact, I have to cover my ears.

"You should be!" Sitio repeats after her.

"She'll take you down!" Shikufu adds.

It's like she has a posse. "Yeah, sure. Now, I'll just be going now..."

Maya is about to retort, when Himoto intervenes again. "Come on, you're just being a bother. It's obvious we don't want to talk to you, so why don't you just leave?"

"Kazuye-kun!" Maya screams delightedly. Himoto's eyes widen, realizing his mistake. Maya lunges for him and latches onto his arm once again.

In his eyes I can see the panic. "Uh... Get off!" He stammers, trying to shake her off.

"Oh Kazuye-kun," Maya murmurs softly, rubbing her own cheek against his own, "You're too shy! You need to open up a bit my darling. Don't be afraid of public displays of affection!"

"B-but..." Himoto stutters aimlessly. There's no way he'll be able to free himself from Maya. I know from personal experience. In kindergarten, she'd do the same thing to the sweetest boy in class.

"Come on! Why do you hang out with Lynne anyway?" Maya continues, throwing her arms around his neck. Leaning in closely, she says, "I'm a lot better."

Seeing her so close makes something tick inside me. "I think we'll be going now," I grumble, grabbing hold of the collar of her shirt, "We've got work to do." I pull her off Himoto and toss her aside.

"Ow!" She yells dramatically, "That hurt!"

"Yeah yeah," I answer. There's this feeling inside of me that's making me feel angry, "Whatever."

Maya grits her teeth and hisses, "Ugh Lynne! Just you wait, I'll murder you in the competition!"

"You go do that!" I yell back.

"Calm down, Lynne-chan," Isho-kun tells me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Don't get too riled up."

Komanda-kun put his hand on my other shoulder, "He's right. You don't want to get into a fight."

I sigh and drop my tense stance, "I guess you're right."

Maya huffs. She's probably jealous of all the attention I'm getting from the sweet princes. That thought make me feel a little prideful. "Hmph. Sitio, Shikufu, let's go," Maya sneers.

Brushing past me and nearly knocking me to the floor, Maya begins sauntering away. She turns at the last second, before she's out the door, "I'll see you later Kazuye-kun!" She trills, blowing him a kiss.

I feel a chilly shock run down my spine. Her affection towards Himoto is starting to bother me. But, it's not because I have feelings for him or anything.

"Come on, let's get going," I say grumpily, Maya really has tarnished my mood.

The sweet princes glace at each other before reluctantly following me out.

XxXxX

Back in the kitchen room we usually use for practise, kitchen room number 3, we are all sitting around the counter, discussing what we're going to do for the grand prix match.

"Maya's never going to know what hit her," I smile happily; "We'll squash her like a bug!"

"You're being too overconfident, you never know. She did make it past the first round, she might be able to beat us," Himoto interrupts.

This sends a prickly feeling in my heart, "Are you defending her?" I ask moodily.

"What? No, it's not like that," He insists, "I'm just saying..."

"Please, you think she's better than me, don't you?"

Why am I so angry? I don't get it. It's a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that bothers me. Every time I think of Maya being so close to Himoto... It sends me into a fit.

"No! I was just... Forget it!" Himoto snaps, crossing his arms and glowering at the wall.

"Now now," Komanda-kun interjects, "We've got to stay all together with this. No fighting."

Himoto grumbles, "She's the one making everything difficult."

That irritates me. I'm just in a really bad mood; Maya seems to be able to do that all the time. "Whatever."

Isho-kun tries to change the topic, "Um, well, the theme is perseverance, how are we supposed to show that in a sweet?"

"What does perseverance mean in the first place?" I inquire him, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you not know what perseverance means?" Himoto asks, his eyes wide.

That makes my face turn red. I think I just asked a stupid question. "Well, Mr. I know everything, what does it mean?" I ask, trying to call him being unknowledgeable.

"Perseverance means to push through even in difficult times. Kind of like in our first grand prix match, even with us loosing 5 pies, we kept going."

Damn. He does know what it means. Now I look like an idiot. "W-well, whatever. Unlike you, I'm not a walking dictionary."

"Isho-kun is correct though," Komanda-kun says, trying to bring the topic back to the competition. For some reason I'm having trouble concentrating today. I just keep arguing with Himoto. "We have to find a way to put perseverance in our sweet."

"I still don't fully understand what perseverance means," I grumble. I don't look at Himoto, because for sure he's going to make fun of me for it.

Isho-kun sighs and pulls his phone out of his pocket, "Here. I'll search it up on google."

He unlocks the screen and opens google. Typing in 'perseverance', over a million things are found. The first is the Wikipedia article on it, but really, I don't consider it reliable. The second title however, gets me interested.

Perseverance – workshop to team work.

"Hey, what's that?" I ask, pointing to it.

Isho-kun clicks on it and it takes us to an organization's website called, 'Teams United'.

"It looks like an organization focusing on team building," Komanda-kun announces to the rest of us, as he reads over Isho-kun's shoulder.

Isho-kun scrolls down, "And they're having a workshop tomorrow to improve team work and teach the true meaning on perseverance."

"What are the odds...?" I trail off, looking over the two at the small phone screen, "We should totally go to that!"

Himoto sighs, "I'm in. I guess. It wouldn't hurt."

"I'll go," Isho-kun agrees. As does Komanda-kun.

"It's settled then! We go tomorrow!" I cheer happily. After practising our skills for the day, we separate to go back to our respective dorm rooms and rest up for the day ahead of us.

XxXxX

The sun shines brightly as I step out of the dorm building. There's a fresh end of September breeze in the air and I can already tell today is going to be a nice day. I'm wearing a loose floral printed shirt and jean shorts, it's perfect weather. It's actually probably the last summer weather we're going to have all year.

I'm supposed to meet the sweet princes at the bus stop outside the campus at 12:00. The bus will arrive a few minutes after and we're going to the countryside for the workshop.

I walk along the cobblestone path and absently braid my hair as I go along. The weather is so refreshing; it puts me in an enlightened mood. All the anger and moodiness from yesterday is no longer present.

"Do girls always fiddle with their hair so much?"

My fingers stop their work at braiding my hair. I turn around, the braid half finished. It's Himoto.

Of course it is.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I pout my lips and continue the braid down my left shoulder.

He shrugs his shoulders carelessly and begins walking alongside me, "I just don't see the point in girls fixing themselves up all the time. I mean, if you were born ugly, there's nothing you can really do to make yourself look better. You just have to deal with it."

"Are you calling me ugly?" I demand, tying the end of my braid and dropping it to hang, brushing lightly over my heart.

"No," He says quickly, "That's not what I meant."

We make it past the school's gate and to the bus stop. We stand just beside the glass building used to shade people from snow, in the winter months.

"Then what did you mean?" I ask quietly. I look to the floor, I don't like the idea of people thinking other people are ugly. Everyone's beautiful in their own way.

Himoto sighs, probably regretting what he said. "I wasn't calling you ugly okay? What I meant is, I don't see the point in you doing your hair or wearing make-up or whatever. It's not like you need it."

I'm slightly perplexed. He means... He doesn't think I need make-up or anything?

"What makes you think that?" I scoff, waving my hand freely, "If I didn't, I'd look like a train wreck every day."

"I don't think so," Himoto mutters softly, making eye contact with me.

It's like my heart's stopped beating. "W-what do you mean by that?" I ask quietly.

"You're pretty without all that stuff, I guess," Himoto admits finally, "You're just fine the way you are."

I can feel myself turning red. He thinks that stuff about me? I haven't even known him for a long time, to think when we met, we would fight and insult each other all the time.

Now he's complimenting me? I'm confused.

"R-really?" I stammer, I feel so... Awestruck. My legs feel like they can't support me and they buckle. Himoto steadies me.

Our eyes lock. I don't know what I'm feeling. "Kashino..." Himoto murmurs.

I don't know what to say. I feel so out of it, but yet, I'm so in to it. I don't understand what I'm feeling at all.

"I..." Himoto begins to say.

"Hey guys!"

We both turn, Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are walking up to us. Isho-kun is waving his arms, getting our attention. "Hi!" He calls to us.

The moment is broken. It doesn't feel the same. It's as if everything has gone back to normal. "Hi Isho-kun!" I greet back.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun make their way towards us and we're all together now. I notice Himoto has distanced himself away from me. Standing as far away from me as possible. For some reason, that bugs me, though I'm not too sure why.

Isho-kun and I idly chat with each other, Himoto drags Komanda-kun away and they are talking in the glass building. I keep looking over and Isho-kun notices.

"What's wrong Lynne-chan?" He asks me, also glancing back to look at Himoto and Komanda-kun who are sitting on the bench inside the building. They seem to be talking about something important. What's so important, I don't know.

"Nothing," I tell him. Smiling, I say, "It's nothing."

I know he wants to say more. But for my sake, he drops it. He goes on talking about a new candy art design he wants to try out. We talk about a lot more pointless things, before the bus rolls in and we take a seat. All four of us in the back. I sit on the end, beside Isho-kun. It's like Himoto's avoiding me all of a sudden.

And I don't understand why.

XxXxX

After 30 minutes, the bus finally gets to our destination. If it didn't stop so much to pick up and drop off other people, I swear, we could have gotten here 10 minutes ago.

We're pretty much in the countryside, aside for the Team United center that stands in front of us. We walk inside, feeling the chilly air conditioning as we pass through the doors.

There's a lady at a desk and we ask her which way the perseverance workshop is. She leads us to a large room with green tiled floor. There are a handful of people there as well, but really, it's a small turn out.

There's a cheery looking girl, who looks to be about 21, in the center. She has a Team United name tag on and from what I can tell, her name is Yasuno.

"Hi!" She chirps, "Welcome to Team United's Perseverance workshop! What are your names?"

"I'm Kashino Lynne," I introduce myself, smiling.

"Isho Hiro."

"Komanda Aito."

"Himoto Kazuye."

Yasuno grins at each one of us. I can't help but notice her teeth are blindingly white. "Well it's great to have you here! We were just about to start. I was talking about how when being in a team, it's important to trust each other."

We take a seat with the other people there and she continues, "So, as I was saying, a team can't function without everyone trusting each other. It can lead to disaster, believe me, I know. So our first activity is going to be trust falls."

She scans her little audience and looks at Isho-kun, "Do you mind demonstrating with me?"

"Uh..." He says at first, a little bit surprised to be called out, "Sure."

He gets up and stands beside her. Turning so his back is to her, Yasuno says, "All you have to do is fall backward. Don't worry, I'm going to catch you."

Isho-kun's eyes widen slightly. He's not too sure about this. "It's all a part of trust, you trust me don't you?"

I can tell Isho-kun wants to say, "I just met you!" but he's too polite to say it.

"Okay... Here goes nothing," He murmurs before falling back.

Yasuno catches him before he hits the floor, holding him in her arms, "There. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

He shakes his head and stands back up, "So, amongst your team mates, split into partnerships and practise trust falls."

The room erupts into chatter and noise as everyone begins to discuss amongst themselves. The sweet princes and I stand off in the front left corner of the room.

"So how are we going to split up guys?" I ask, placing my hands on my hips and leaning to one side.

"We should all learn to trust each other, so we should each try to be caught by everyone," Komanda-kun suggests, "After all, we can't just trust one member of the team. You have to trust them all."

Isho-kun agrees, "Very true. I'll pair up with Lynne-chan first."

I smile sweetly and nod, "I'm okay with that."

"And I'll be Ka-kun's partner," Komanda-kun nods his head affirmatively.

I turn to Himoto, who's staring pointedly at me. He looks kind of moody again. I'm not sure why. "Okay," He agrees begrudgingly.

XxXxX

"Are you ready?" I ask excitedly. I've got my eyes closed and Isho-kun is behind me, ready to catch me as I fall backward.

"I've got you," Isho-kun assures me, "Just fall back and I'll get you."

Taking a deep breath, I lean backward. It's a lot scarier than it looks. I feel myself falling and with my eyes closed I can't see anything. It really feels like I'm going to hit the floor, but in the few seconds I can feel that, Isho-kun then catches me. I open my eyes and stare up at him, "That was so cool!" I exclaim happily, before jumping up. "Okay, your turn!"

Isho-kun looks skeptical, I am very small. He's most likely afraid I won't be able to catch him. "Don't worry, I've got you!" I grin happily.

"Alright..." He smiles softly at me before positioning himself ahead of me. When he falls back, I hold tightly to him so I don't drop him to the floor.

"Gotcha..." I say slowly, my voice tense, concentrating on lifting him.

Isho-kun laughs aloud and stands up, "You're quite the lifter," he jokes.

Sticking out my tongue, I reply, "Why did you ever doubt me?"

XxXxX

The same thing happens with Komanda-kun. I think it's easy to trust him. He reminds me so much of Michael, I can't help it. Michael's been the best older brother I could ever have. Always watching over me and everything. Komanda-kun just makes me feel safer, if that makes any sense.

Next is Himoto and I'm slightly skeptical, because ever since the bus stop he's been especially moody and it seems like he's been avoiding me.

He's going to catch me first and I'm having trouble allowing myself to fall. With his mood right now, I feel like he won't catch me.

"I've got you, don't worry," He says softly from behind me. It doesn't feel very comforting. "Just fall..." He sounds a little bit exasperated. Great, I'm just bothering him even more.

"Is there a problem?" Yasuno asks, she comes towards us to address our issues.

Himoto points accusingly at me, "She won't fall."

I blush at this and stammer quietly, "I-it feels like he's going to drop me."

Yasuno places her hand on my shoulder comfortingly, "Not to worry dear! I'll be watching the whole time, there's no way he can drop you while my eyes are on him."

"Okay..." I agree finally. Sucking in a shaky breath, I close my eyes and lean backward slightly. It's the same feeling, those few seconds of empty falling. It feels scarier this time. "Eeek!" I gasp quietly. But then, Himoto's arms are around me, saving me from the floor.

I open one eye cautiously, to see his facial expression. As usual, he's wearing that same blank expression. "I told you I wouldn't drop you."

"Uh..." I whisper, unsure of what to say to that, "Thanks... I guess."

He pushes me back up to stand, "Don't worry about it."

XxXxX

It's my turn to catch Himoto and I am slightly nervous. Himoto is the tallest of the 3 sweet princes and I'm small. I'm not very sure of myself if I can catch him.

"Are you ready?" Himoto asks. He doesn't seem too worried. I hope that means he trusts me.

"Y-yeah!" I stutter nervously, "I... I've got you."

His shoulders shake, he's laughing, "You don't sound too sure."

"S-shut up! I've got it! Go fall!"

I stand ready to catch him, my eyebrows scrunched up in determination and I focus hard. When he falls I'm going to brace myself for it and catch him. After all, I have to be strong enough to...

"Lynne-chan!" Isho-kun calls. I turn away for a split second, before realizing my mistake. I gasp and turn back around, but it's too late.

Thud.

Himoto hits the ground on his back.

I cringe, thinking about what his reaction will be. He stares up at me from the floor. He doesn't look angry, more annoyed. His eyes close to squint at me, "What happened to 'I've got it'?"

"Ehehe..." I laugh nervously, feeling my face turn red. "Sorry."

He sighs and face palms. "You're such an idiot."

Well... At least he isn't mad.

XxXxX

"Alright, great job people!" Yasuno cheers as we finish the activity. We all go back to our seats and listen as she speaks. "This workshop is fairly short, so I'm going to do a little more talking and we'll have our last activity."

"So far, we've worked on trust. But the point of the workshop is to work as a team and persevere. And we haven't touched much on that, have we?" She turns around to write on the white board behind her, "Our final activity will use our newly formed trust to do a job. Here's what we're going to do."

Yasuno draws a long horizontal line on the white board, with 2 stick people on one side and 2 on the other. "For the last activity, you're going to be running across the field out back to the other side to hand something to your team mates." She looks around, "Who here is good at sports?"

I'm not. And apparently, not many others are either. "Exactly! And that's the point! You must persevere to run the whole length, even if it gets difficult! Let's see if you'll be able to do it."

I'm slightly nervous. If my condition flairs up...

"Come on, let's go!" Yasuno beckons us to follow her out the door. Somewhat reluctantly, I follow along with everyone else.

XxXxX

What makes me even more nervous is the fact that the field is full of flowers. They wave around in the breeze, making me panic a little bit. Isho-kun takes note of my nervous energy, "What's wrong Lynne-chan?"

"Uh... Nothing," I lie. I think he realizes it too. But he's not going to push me for answers.

"Alright teams! Split up into two!"

We split up as we usually do. Komanda-kun and Isho-kun, me and Himoto. I don't know why those ended up always being our partnerships, but they do.

Me and Himoto stay on the one side while Yasuno leads Komanda-kun and Isho-kun to the far end of the field. That's a long way to run. I gulp.

I'm going first, tagging either Isho-kun or Komanda-kun who will run and tag Himoto. He'll run over and tag the last person left until we're all opposite to our starting point.

Yasuno hands me a relay baton, "Okay! Ready, set, go!"

I take off, gripping the relay baton in my hands. I can feel my lungs starting to hurt. It's like their tightening inside of me. I can't breathe well. I knew it.

Wheezing painfully, I keep going. This is a lot tougher for me than for everyone else. I can tell, because they're way ahead of me. I guess the point of the workshop is perseverance, so this is good for me. In a way, sort of. Making it to the end, I hand the baton to Komanda-kun and collapse on the grass. Laying on my back, I try to suck air into my body. It's not really working.

Isho-kun looks over me in concern, "Lynne-chan? Are you okay?"

"Eehh..." I wheeze out. I'm trying to take gulps of air, because I know I need it. But my lungs feel so tight, it's like they can't hold air.

Isho-kun kneels down beside me, "Hey, what's wrong?"

I can't answer. "Urgh..." I mumble.

I know he wants to help. But he can't, because Himoto comes running and tosses him the baton. Hesitantly, Isho-kun takes another look at me before running away towards the other side. Himoto looks startled when he sees me, "What the heck's wrong with you?" He asks, alarmed.

Dropping down to his knees, he stares at me. It must be a beautiful sight, seeing me die on the floor. "A-asthma..." I choke out finally.

His eyes flicker slightly, "Don't you have an asthma inhaler?"

I weakly reach for my pocket, where I keep it. Himoto beats me to it and puts the disked shape inhaler to my lips. Pulling down on the trigger to open it, I take a deep breath to breath the medicine inside. Holding my breath for about 5 seconds, to let the medication do its thing, I finally gasp for air, able to breathe properly again.

Breathing heavily, I take the inhaler from him, "Thanks."

"What the hell was that?" He asks me, narrowing his eyes.

"I have really bad asthma..." I admit sheepishly, "Even simple things like running like that flair it up completely. Not to mention all the pollen in the air."

"YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT SOONER!" Himoto scolds me, handing back the inhaler. I put it back in my pocket.

"Since I was 5 years old, I've gone to the hospital once because my asthma gets so bad. It's awful really," I sigh, "It's so annoying. I can't do anything strenuous. Like running long or any really hard cardio. I am dead if there is dust anywhere close to me. Flowers are no good either."

Himoto laughs to himself. Though I'm unsure why. "What's that for?" I ask, pouting my lips.

"It's funny, you act so strong, but then something as simple as that can take you down," He has laughter embedded in his eyes. He thinks it's just so hilarious.

"Shut up! It's serious! I've passed out a few times before because I couldn't breathe."

He stops laughing. "Sorry," He says quietly. There's awkward silence. "So how do you take care of yourself?"

"I just keep the asthma inhaler on me. That's all. But if I didn't have it and there was dust and pollen everywhere, I'd be dying."

"That's lovely," Himoto answers sarcastically.

My asthma really is serious. I look around the field, the activity is closing up. Something catches my eye in the forest of trees beside the fields.

2 flashes of blue dash into the forest away from us. Blue...? It's like Sitio and Shikufu's hair colour. I tell this to Himoto and he shrugs it off.

"You're out of your mind, it was probably just animals, why would they be following us?"

"I guess..." I reply slowly, but I keep staring at the trees. Could they have heard everything I said?

* * *

**Cliffhanger ending. Yada yada yada. I'm sorry guys, I really am in a huge rush. I feel SO bad. I thank all my reviewers for their constant support. I want to mention you all by name, but I've got no time. Stupid me.**

**I'll see you guys later! I'm so sorry for not publishing on Saturday like I should have. I'm a very bad person...**

**Please Review!**

**Love,**

**Mikashi-chan :)**


	13. Leadership, Show My Perseverance!

**Kashino: Hey-**

**Me: NO TIME. RUSH. I DON'T OWN YUMEIRO PATISSIERE!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 13: Leadership, Show My Perseverance!

The next day, after the workshop, the sweet Princes and I sit in the glass gazebo by the school's lake. It's a strange sense of déjà vu. Mom used to always tell me about her and dad, Uncle Hanabusa and Uncle Andou sitting in here talking about the grand prix.

"So, what did we learn in the workshop guys?" I ask, starting the discussion.

"I shouldn't fall and expect you to catch me," Himoto deadpans. I look at him to see if he's joking, but his face is expressionless. I guess he's not.

I can feel my face turning red, "I-it was an accident!"

He smirks, with a gleam of laughter in his eyes, "Geez, I was only kidding."

I open my mouth to reply, but I can't think of any comeback. Damn. Clearing my throat, I continue, "In all seriousness, what did you guys learn?"

"Team work is key to anything you want to do as a group," Komanda-kun contributes, "Perseverance is included."

"Bingo!" I cheer, pointing at him, "I thought that too."

"So what are you suggesting we do?" Isho-kun asks, leaning back with his arms behind his head.

"Well, the key to perseverance is team work, right? So why don't we do a sweet that shows that we can work as a team to persevere through challenges?"

Himoto cuts in, "Well, how are supposed to represent challenges?"

I hadn't thought of that. Challenges. What are challenges we've faced as a team? "Well," Isho-kun says slowly, "We had the challenge of creating a sweet for our first round."

"Oh! We could try to show in our sweet how we come up with our ideas! It's a challenge for us, but as a team we can persevere through it." I clap my hands together and look around at all three of them. Isho-kun looks pleased, as does Komanda-kun. Himoto looks distracted. He's usually the one whose most focused. Instead, he's kind of staring at me, but in that way that you don't really realize you're staring at someone.

"What's wrong with the idea Himoto?" I ask.

"Oh nothing," He says finally, seemingly breaking out of his trance, "I was just... Uh... Sorry. I was distracted."

I sigh, "Geez. Not the time for that. Usually, you have to tell me that."

"Shut up," Himoto presses on with his argument, "I'm allowed to get distracted sometimes too."

I nod, "Right..." I hope he can hear the sarcasm.

"I like the idea," He finally mumbles, "It's just... How do we make that into a sweet? Your idea is to show how hard it is for us to come up with a sweet idea."

I don't know. I was actually hoping he would know. Himoto does have the reputation of being the smart one. "Why do you never ask us for help?"

We all look up; the sweet spirits are floating at the doorway of the gazebo. Fraise sighs, "You always say 'It's a challenge to come up with ideas!' But you've never asked us have you?"

I narrow my eyes at my blonde-headed partner, "Well, we would. But for some reason you guys are always MIA."

"Because you guys barely notice us when we are here," Kumquat argues back, "So we leave. And THAT'S when you want us back."

I can't believe I'm having an argument like this with the sweet spirits. It's even more unbelievable that Kumquat and Fraise agree with each other. "Can we have this conversation later?" I ask, massaging my forehead with my fingertips.

"Fine," Fraise sighs, "I was getting tired of agreeing with Kumquat anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Kumquat yells.

"Guys!" I moan, "You're giving me a headache... Come on."

"You know what I mean!" Fraise hollers back. They aren't listening to me.

Kumquat scoffs, "Because I'm totally a mind reader!"

"Fraise... Stop it," I insist. Their yelling is seriously giving me a migraine. I hate arguments, especially in enclosed spaces.

They're too busy clanging their fork and spoon together to hear a word I'm saying. "Hey! Stop it." I look up, it's Himoto.

He picks Kumquat up by the wings as she protests, "Kashino already told you to stop, so shut up will you?"

"Don't talk to me like that!" Kumquat screeches in reply, "And let go of my wings!"

Himoto doesn't let go, "No."

"Why are you agreeing with her anyway? I thought you said you didn't like her!"

Ouch. That hurts. Just a little bit. It feels like a sting in my heart. Okay, it hurts a little bit more than a bit.

"Himoto?" I ask quietly.

"Shut up," He hisses to Kumquat, "That was a while ago." Without further conversation, he stuffs her into his shirt pocket. "Just ignore what she says. I don't not like you, okay?"

"Uh... O-okay." This planning meeting has escalated quickly. At least I know Himoto doesn't not like me.

"Alright," Komanda-kun says, in an attempt to bring the conversation back on topic. "So, do you have any ideas on how to make a sweet to represent our challenges to come up with sweets?" He asks Toffee, Fraise and Raspberry.

Fraise sits down on the table against my recipe book, "No clue."

That's when I snap. "You were angry about me not asking you for help! And then when we ask you, you don't have a clue? What's up with you?"

Fraise blinks, surprised at my outburst. "Lynne..."

"This is serious, I don't have time for arguing... We don't have enough time for this!" I exclaim, "We've got to stop fooling around. I'm not losing to Maya because no one wants to take this seriously!"

There's silence. Everyone stares at me. I've never yelled at everyone like this. I don't usually lash out. I don't like to. But sometimes, I just do because I can't take it anymore.

I can't handle this. I need some time by myself. Getting up, I say, "I need some air." Before anyone can stop me, I rush out of the gazebo. I need space. This is just too stressful. Exactly why I didn't want to join the grand prix in the first place.

XxXxX

I couldn't go to the lake, because they'd all still be able to see me. Instead, I walk down the cobblestone path, looking for a place to go. I have no idea where I'm going. I just had to get out of there.

I groan, frustrated. There's nowhere to go. "Hey Kashino! Hold on!"

This is not a good day. "What do you want Himoto?" I ask, continuing to storm along the path.

"Wait up!" He yells, running after me. He catches up and speed walks beside me as I stalk away. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" I ask, "Everyone just keeps arguing! We're not getting anywhere! I just can't handle this. I'm the team leader, but no one's listening to me. I thought that's why you guys made me team leader in the first place. To lead, am I right?"

He's silent, but keeps following me. I slow down my pace. My initial anger is gone, it's really just stress now. I have a bad headache starting in the back of my head.

"Okay, I can understand that," Himoto answers finally, "But where are you going?"

"I need space; I can't be in there right now. I'm too stressed out."

"That's not what I meant," He says, walking ahead. He turns around so he's walking backward in front of me, "I mean, where are you going? Like, you're not leaving the campus are you?"

I sigh, "I don't know where I'm going, okay? I just need to get fresh air and cool off. Why are you here?"

His eyes widen slightly, "Well... Because. You know."

"Bad answer," I grumble moodily, turning away to walk on the grass and leaving him.

"Wait!" He yells, "Come on, you don't have to be mad. I'm sorry okay?"

"Whatever," I say, stamping down on the grass as I walk. Poor grass.

"I was worried about you!" He calls after me. I stop.

Turning around, I look him straight in the eye, "I swear, if you're kidding, I'll personally murder you."

His eyes widen in alarm, "I'm not kidding. I seriously was worried about you. At least, a little bit."

I sigh, "Why? You don't even like me all that much."

"W-well, you just looked really angry and then you left. I figured in your anger you might go out and do something stupid. That's all."

He's concerned about me? I don't know why, but that lightens my mood a bit. "... Thanks for your concern," I say finally, "I'll just get some space and come back, don't worry about me."

Himoto frowns, "Just where are you going Kashino?"

"I don't know," I sigh, placing my hands on my hips, "Somewhere quiet where I can cool down."

Himoto kicks at the ground, sending stray pebbles off the pavement, "I... I know somewhere you can go."

XxXxX

"So where is this place?" I ask Himoto. We've been trudging in the trees past the lake, careful not to be in sight of the glass gazebo.

"Just be patient," He answers, his voice soft. I can't tell if he's speaking softly or if it's because he's in front of me and speaking in front of himself.

I question why Himoto would have been here before in the first place. After all, no one goes into the trees for leisure.

We push through overgrown weeds and bramble before stumbling before a clearing between the trees. The leaves are filtering in beams of golden sunshine, while they themselves are bright shades of autumn colours. Reds, oranges, and yellows like a collage of grandeur. It's beautiful.

"Woah," I breathe, awe-struck. Who knew a place like this existed?

"This is the best it's looked all year," Himoto tells me, "At the start of the year, it was a little bit boring. Everything was green."

"H-how did you find this place?" I ask, turning around in full circles. Who would have guessed a place like this would be here, in the middle of a forest on a school campus?

"I was frustrated, like you," Himoto mumbles softly, "Everything was going wrong and I just stormed off. I ran into the forest because I wasn't paying attention and I ended up here. Sitting here for a while calmed me down. I just thought it might do the same thing for you."

There's this fluttery feeling inside of my heart that spreads through my whole body. It feels warm and gentle and I like it. But I don't know what it is.

Sitting down in front of a tree, I close my eyes and take a deep breath of fresh air. It's so quiet here. It's so relaxing. I can't feel stressed in a place like this. It's just not possible.

When I open my eyes, Himoto has taken a seat beside me. "So, now that you've calmed down a bit, why were you so frustrated?"

I sigh and bring my knees to my chest, "Well, it was just... I felt like I wasn't being taken seriously. I am the team leader, right? I'm not trying to be bossy, but I want everyone to do what I say and that includes not arguing."

"It's hard," Himoto replies, "I understand what you feel, but at the same time it's so difficult. I mean, I'm willing to listen to your instructions. But arguments don't stop because someone says you should. Remember when we first met each other? We always fought. You just couldn't help it."

That's right. Since when did Himoto and I stop arguing with each other exactly? I don't remember. I think we've been on pretty good terms for a while now.

"I guess..." I trail off.

"I agree with you though, the grand prix isn't something to take lightly. We don't have time for fooling around. Plus, I know this match is important to you."

This catches me off guard. Why does he think that? Actually, how does he know that? "Wait... What makes you say that?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "I just assumed it was obvious. Maya and you are rivals right? Rivals want to beat each other. Considering you two have been rivals since you were like 5 years old I would think this match means a lot to the both of you."

It's strange how well he can read me. He knows exactly what I'm thinking or feeling. It's like he's a mind reader. "Yeah," I admit finally, "And the stress of it is getting to me. This is why I didn't really want to join the grand prix anyway. I'm just not good with dealing with stress."

"I know it might seem like a shock, but I'm not good with handling emotion either," Himoto confesses, a pink tint adorning his cheeks, "I mean, after my parents were gone I had so many emotions to deal with. I didn't know what I felt or what to do. It's like being lost. As I got older, it was harder and harder to handle all of it. I guess that's why I started... You know."

He's talking about the cuts on his arms. I can't imagine being so confused and lost and frustrated that you would do that to yourself. It hurt obviously, but putting yourself in pain was really something that seemed right to you?

"I don't want that to happen to you," He murmurs, "It's horrible. There are so many times I wish I never did any of it. So if you ever need someone to help you deal with stress or any emotion really, I'd be willing to listen to you."

"Himoto..." I whisper. That's one of the nicest things I've ever heard from anybody. Growing up, I was usually the one helping other people, because that's what I liked doing. But no one ever asked me if I needed help, they always assumed if I could help other people with their problems, I should be able to fix my own. "Thanks." I say finally.

We sit there together for who knows how long, but I don't leave until I feel ready to. And Himoto waits, right beside me.

XxXxX

After all that, Himoto and I go back to the group. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun ask me if I'm okay. I assure them that I'm fine. I just needed some space. Himoto and I fail to mention the secret place in the forest. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun just assume I went off on my own and Himoto finally found me.

"So, what kind of sweet are we going to make?" Isho-kun brings back the important question.

"Uh, well I have a suggestion," I answer tentatively, "Being the leader of this group, to me is a challenge." I take a deep breath, "I was thinking about it while I was calming down. It's not easy for me to be the leader of this team. I have to persevere and work hard to do what I'm supposed to do. What if we did a sweet based on that?"

Himoto nods, for whatever reason, he decided to sit beside me, "I like that idea better than our previous ones. It's more specific and it's a lot stronger."

The sweet spirits have calmed down as well and sit on the table playing with sugar cubes, "I'm okay with that idea." Kumquat replies. It's funny. She doesn't usually agree with me. I wonder if Himoto made her be nice to me.

"I like it," Fraise agrees, "It's a good theme. After all, theme is important."

Raspberry and Toffee agree with their fellow sweet spirits. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are in favour as well. "So it's settled, that's what we'll do." I say. I don't have energy to be loud and exclamatory, but I'm totally pumped to get started. "Now all we need to do is come up with a sweet to reflect our theme."

"Well why don't we pick a sweet that shows leadership first of all?" Komanda-kun suggests.

"Oh, I've got something," Isho-kun says suddenly, speaking up as he thinks of his idea, "What if we made 3 small cakes, representing me, Himoto and Komanda and then one bigger one representing Lynne to show she's the leader?"

Himoto agrees. Fraise pipes up, "You can give Lynne's cake an elaborate design, as if to say she has everything put together and under control."

"The inside can be a lava cake-desu!" Raspberry exclaims, "Meaning, on the inside she really doesn't have everything put together like the outside makes you think."

I like that idea. Finally, everyone is working together. "You can explain how that shows perseverance after that, right Kashino?" Himoto asks me.

Nodding, I say with a small smile on my face, "So what are we waiting for? Let's make those cakes!"

XxXxX

After spending the night working on the cakes, this is what we've come up with. The first 3 cakes are all the same size; each of them reflecting the sweet princes' personalities. Isho-kun's cake is a rose cake similar to one Uncle Hanabusa showed me. It will be decorated with green fondant and have darker green icing piped into the shape of vines and marzipan flower petals.

Komanda-kun's cake will be a green tea cake. I got the idea from the green tea caramels Uncle Andou used to make me. After all, the two of them are similar. At least in my mind. This cake will be iced with royal icing that's dyed a deep navy blue. And then, using red dyed butter cream frosting and a round tipped piping bag, we'll make a plaid design on the cake.

Himoto's cake will obviously be chocolate; a milk chocolate cake with dark chocolate bits inside. The cake will be covered in white chocolate frosting and caramel frosting will be used to decorated the cake and stick chocolates to the cake like glue.

Finally, my cake will be slightly larger than the others. Not so it looks overpowering, but so it's just obvious I'm the leader. My cake will be a strawberry cake; vanilla with a strawberry syrup center. It will be iced with whipped cream and adorned with fresh strawberries sliced in half.

All together, our idea is huge and detailed. We'll need every last minute to complete this. And we have to complete it. There's a lot riding on this match and I'm not presenting anything less than perfect.

XxXxX

On the day of the competition, the sweet princes and I walk into the building. Immediately what catches my eye is the words above 'Middle School Grand Prix: Round 2' it's the words 'Chateaux Seika' written in pink cursive letters over top. They couldn't be sponsoring for a middle school match, right? I have a bad feeling as Maya is the daughter of the owner.

I tell the guys this and they tell me not to worry about it. There's not much that Maya can do to sabotage the match with her mom sponsoring the match. Well, nothing I can think of.

We go into the change room where our grand prix outfits are. They are the same as before, like our baking uniforms but deep blue. As we take them off the hangers, I cough.

Perplexed, I look closer at the outfits. They're sprinkled with a layer of dust. My heart starts beating quickly, dust is not good. Asthma and dust don't work well together. It just doesn't work.

"Himoto..." I say softly, "There's... There's dust all over these."

He's the only one who knows how severe my asthma is. He takes the outfit from me and crosses the room. He begins beating them down and dust flies up into the air. I swallow. This is not good. Not good at all.

Himoto does this to all the outfits, but there's still a lot of dust on them that won't come off until we wash these. As I put the outfit on, I can feel my lungs protest.

I feel in my pocket for the asthma inhaler I put in the outfit. It's still there. If anything goes wrong, at least I'll have that.

I don't see how this can get much worst. If the dust really bothers me so much, I can use my asthma inhaler.

A teacher calls us out, the match is about to start. It's like last time, they lead us down the hallway and into the pitch black kitchen room; although, something feels different. It's the smell in the air. It's floral and sweet.

I stand in the dark, perplexed as to why it's like this. "Welcome everyone to the first match of the second round!" I hear Aunt Lemon say. "Team Maya versus Team Lynne!"

There's a roar in the crowd as everyone cheers us on. The lights snap on and my eyes widen. No way...

I look at Himoto and I can see the alarm in his eyes too. "And thank you to Chateaux Seika for sponsoring this very special match!"

Aunt Lemon continues to talk about what the match requires; such as theme and all this other stuff. But I'm not listening. I'm looking around the room.

The room is decorated with pollinated flowers. Hundreds and hundreds of bundles of flowers. I can feel my lungs tighten. I suck in a breath of air, it's already difficult. I gulp. This is not good.

* * *

**ACK. I'm so sorry. I'm in a huge rush. I'm so so so sorry.**

**I love you all to the moon and back. I know this chapter is a lot shorter (only about 3.5k words) I'm sorry. Thanks for sticking with me even with sucky chapters and long time between updates. Thanks to everyone who reads. **

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	14. Breathe, Second Match Chaos!

**Me: AH. OKAY. Don't kill me! I'm so sorry guys! I know it's been a month. I know you guys are wondering where the heck I went. I'm sorry. **

**School has been torturous to me. I get so much homework every night. Not to mention I had a lot of trouble getting down what I wanted for this chapter. I had major writer's block for a long time. I'm sorry.**

**Now, I know you've been wondering where I was and why I wasn't getting anything done. I realized, I have no way of communicating with my readers when I don't post chapters. So, I've made a blog (Oooh~) you guys can check out to get updates from me. Maybe even sneak peak new chapters! The link is on my profile, so go check it out!**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story 

Chapter 14: Breathe, Second Match Chaos!

Aunt Lemon yells for the match to start and we go for it. I'm seriously nervous because I don't want us to lose just because there are flowers around and there's dust on our outfits. Our team didn't strive to get here just to fail because asthma. I can't let the team down. I just can't.

We're all set to work on our own cakes. I'm trying to move quickly so we can get this all together in time, but it's hard. I can hear myself wheezing. It feels like I'm trying to breathe, but it gets stuck halfway to my lungs. I'm trying to ignore it, but it's becoming increasingly bothersome.

I can feel the sweet princes' eyes on me. I know they are all worried. Coughing into my sleeve, I can feel all the dust still settled on the clothes.

Pushing those thoughts away, I try and focus on my cake. I can't worry about my asthma, or those feeling will end up in my sweet.

My sweet has to be one of the simpler ones. I just need to make a vanilla cake and fill it with strawberry syrup. I can do this.

I hope.

XxXxX

As I continue to work, labouring for every breath I take; Himoto passes by me, "Kashino... Are you doing okay?"

I want to say yes. Because, that's the kind of person I am. But that isn't the right answer. "No," I admit, trying anything to get good flows of air going through me, "Not at all."

"I don't know what to do," He replies helplessly, "I don't know that much about asthma."

I shake my head, "You shouldn't worry. I've got it."

"I don't want a repeat of what happened in the field," Himoto whispers into my ear, "And I don't want you to get hurt. Just take the asthma inhaler already."

It finally occurs to me that it has been in my pocket all along, I don't know why I haven't already used it. "Right," I answer, taking it out of my pocket. I open it up and pull the trigger. Putting it to my mouth, I take as deep of a breath as I can. I'm not inhaling anything. The inhaler is empty.

"H-Himoto," I call him shakily. He looks up from his spot, his eyebrows arched in question. "I-it's empty."

That's when I see a flicker of panic flash through his eyes. "Empty?" He repeats again. There's a deadly silence as I nod my head. He looks around the room, as if that's going to give him an answer. "Wasn't it brand new?"

"That's what I thought!" I exclaim, trying to think back. It was brand new when I put it in. I know it. I just know it. Then... What happened?

Himoto looks frustrated. I can't tell whether he's frustrated over me, or asthma, or empty inhalers or what. He just looks angry. Crossing over to me, he says, "It has to be a set up. Why else would it be empty?"

"I can't believe anyone would do something like that," I respond, wheezing, "Who would?"

"Those two twin girls," Himoto snaps his fingers, as he realizes, "You were right, they were listening in to our conversation at the workshop."

I want to say I'm always right, but I'm sure now is not the time for it.

"They must have told Maya and she must have told them to replace the inhaler. They're trying to get us to lose," Himoto finishes his accusation.

"Well it's working," I reply. I feel lightheaded. I really am not getting enough oxygen. Swaying a little, Himoto balances me.

He grumbled angrily, "Damn it." Looking around, he says, "Hang tight. I'm going to do something about this."

I'm not sure what he means, but I try and focus back on my work. It's hard to focus, it feels like everything is moving around and I can't grasp anything. "Are you okay Kashino-chan?" Komanda-kun asks me.

I shake my head and he presses his lips together. He looks around, "Himoto will fix it. Do you want help with your sweet?"

"You need to work on your own," I argue, rubbing at my chest. My lungs are starting to hurt. There's so much pollen and dust...

"But you need help," Komanda-kun continues, "Besides, your cake is the most important."

Isho-kun joins Komanda-kun in the discussion, "I'll help you too. If anything, your cake needs to be done. Let us help you."

I feel so bad. I don't want their cakes to be ignored, it's not fair. I mean, I know I'm team leader, but we're all equal parts to the team. "Okay..." I agree reluctantly.

Isho-kun gets to work with the whipped cream for the icing. Komanda-kun works with the strawberry syrup and I try and make this vanilla cake.

I wonder what Himoto's doing. I hope he's doing something. If he can't fix this problem, we're never going to finish in time.

XxXxX

I need to sit down. I can't work like this. I feel dizzy. The room is spinning around in weird angles, the lights are blinding. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm not allowed to leave, if I do, we're disqualified. But I can't stay here. I'm going to pass out if I do.

Clutching onto the counter top, I look over to see what Himoto is doing. He has to be doing something. He has to.

Then I see him, he's moved. He's closer to where Maya's team is. I can almost make out what Maya is saying...

As they work on their cake, Maya quickly praises Sitio and Shikufu. "It seems as though everything is going according to plan!" She gushes, taking a cake out from the oven, "I'm proud of you two."

"Thank you Maya!" Sitio exclaims.

"Thanks so much!" Shikufu adds, her smile as wide as her face.

I see Himoto's brow twitch. Or is that just me? Am I hallucinating? I can't think. Just breathe. I can't... But I have to.

"I was reluctant at first, both of you didn't seem too eager to do your job," Maya continues on, "But I'm glad to see you went through with it."

Himoto mutters something to himself under his breath. He turns off his tempering and pours the chocolate into his frosting. He turns the stationary mixer on low, specifically so he can hear what Maya and the twins are saying.

"Well... I was definitely scared about following Team Lynne around," Shikufu admits quietly. They're trying not to let us hear. It's not working.

"We don't think they saw us," Sitio continues, "But don't you think what we did is a little extreme? She looks pale as a ghost."

They're talking about me. What did they do? I want to know. There's a headache spreading from the back of my head all the way to my forehead.

Breathe. Come on, I can do this.

"Nothing is too extreme for competition," Maya chastises them. She always has been a competitive soul. "What we did was only playing the game in our advantage."

"Nonsense," Himoto murmurs under his breath. I can see a storm starting in his eyes. That's never a good sign. He's getting angry.

Sitio puts her cake into the oven and sighs, "But doing what we did... I feel bad."

"Me too," Shikufu chimes in.

"Would you two stop it? Are you trying to guilt me into feeling bad?" Maya exclaims horrendously. She tosses her hair behind her shoulder, "I don't work that way."

"We weren't trying anything," Shikufu defends herself.

"C-could you guys s-stop arguing and focus?" It's the quiet girl. The one who hardly speaks. I'm glad she's finally spoken, but could she wait until I know what they've done to us?

"This doesn't concern you Mako!" Maya snaps. Mako immediately shuts up. I feel bad for her.

"Maya, Shikufu and I have talked about it, I don't think what you did was fair," Sitio argues. I can't believe they're arguing in the middle of a grand prix match.

It's like everything is moving in slow motion. That's strange. I sway a little to the left, grabbing onto the table to steady myself.

"You shouldn't have switched the inhalers!" Shikufu finally breaks. They... Switched them. Himoto was right.

"Well, it's not like she's going to die," Maya scoffs, "She's just slowed down!"

Sitio's jaw drops, "Are you kidding? She looks like she's going to pass out! I don't think this is the right thing to do."

Maya reaches into her pocket, "Do you really think this thing is a lifeline?" It's my asthma inhaler in her hand. Resting gloriously in her palm.

_It is a lifeline, _I think drowsily, _I need it. Please give it to me._

That's when Himoto slams his hands down on the table. "I KNEW IT!" He yells. The whole crowd goes silent.

Maya turns, slightly panicked. Then she sees it's Himoto. "W-what are you talking about Darling?"

"I knew it! You took Lynne's inhaler and replaced it with an empty one," Himoto looks vicious. Why is he so worked up? The lights swing overhead like blurs. _They should get that fixed..._

"N-no I didn't!" Maya defends herself. Isn't it obvious the evidence is in her hands? Isn't she caught red-handed. _Someone should do something..._

Himoto storms over, his mouth open in a way that looks like he's going to bite her. _Why is he so angry? _"That's a sick trick," He spits, his eyes seem to glow red, "She could be seriously hurt by this! What's wrong with you? I understand competition, but this is just evil!"

"I..." Maya is frozen. She doesn't know what to do. "But... Kazuye-kun..."

"I can't believe you," He comes up right in front of her and takes the inhaler out of her hand, "I knew you were crazy, but I didn't think you were a complete idiot."

Her jaw drops. I don't think anyone has ever spoken to her like that. I smile to myself. Her face is blurring in and out of focus. _Breathe. Breathe. Breathe._

I wish I could.

I feel like I'm falling. I feel like I'm flying. I feel like I'm weightless.

And then I'm in someone's arms. It's Isho-kun. He's caught me. When did I fall over? "Himoto!" He yells. Running toward us, Himoto opens the inhaler.

He's leaning over me now. I can't even focus on his face. "Here, Kashino, stay with us here. Don't give up. We need you."

He needs me? Is that what he said? No. He said we need you. They all need me. They need me. I feel the inhaler being placed between my lips, a puff of air. It sweeps down my throat and into my lungs and suddenly everything opens up. A huge gulp of air fills my lungs. It's so sudden, I cough. Isho-kun helps me stand up.

"Lynne-chan? Are you okay?" He asks concerned.

"I... I'm fine," I whisper finally. But I'm looking at Himoto. He's got that look in his eyes that I haven't quite matched to a feeling.

Isho-kun nods and goes to finish his cake. I look to the clock. There's only 30 minutes left. I feel the blood draining from my face. No way. We can't have wasted that much time.

Himoto looks into my eyes, "Don't worry about that." He says simply. Brushing past me, he whispers in my ear, "Thank god you're okay."

XxXxX

I have to get everything back under control. I have to. We need to win. I can't let down my parents, my brothers, my friends, my classmates. They're all counting on me. I don't want to let them down.

"Okay! Status report," I call to the sweet princes.

Isho-kun's cake is almost done. He's covering it in green fondant now. There's no time for the marzipan flower petals. We have to scrap the idea. He's just going to pipe the dark green icing vines.

Komanda-kun's cake is just out of the oven, there's no time to wait for it to cool. We just cover it in white fondant instead of navy blue royal icing. He's going to pipe the red plaid design now.

Himoto's cake is nowhere near done. The cake is still in the oven. Thankfully, he's already made the frosting, so hopefully we can get it on before the time limit. Then, he'll sprinkle chocolate shreds over the top. There's no time to make the caramel frosting.

Finally there's mine. Because Komanda-kun and Isho-kun helped me out with it, it's the most ready. All that's left is to ice it with whipped cream.

There's a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's over. It's all over. But then, Dad's words to me wander into my head, _"__I'll tell you this, no matter how hard will be, you should still try. I'll be rooting for you." _

No matter how hard... I have to keep going. I have to. Dad's counting on me and I don't want to let him down.

XxXxX

We're all rushing to finish anything. We need something to serve to the judges. Anything at this point goes.

The clock withdraws a second with each painful moment. This is the most stressed I've ever been. It's as if the fluorescent flowers are spinning all around me, just blurs of colour.

As we struggle to put the complicated finishing touches on our cakes, Aunt Lemon yells out the words we've been dreading, "TIME'S UP!"

I feel horror-stricken. This is it. We're done in the competition. As Maya's team presents their idea, I'm not listening. It feels almost as if I'm going to pass out again.

Himoto does something that surprises me. He reaches over and squeezes my shoulder. The pressure of it makes me look at him, "Don't worry so much." He says, not taking his eyes off the judges, "It's going to be fine."

I feel something tingle in the pit of my stomach. His reassurance makes everything seem a little bit better.

"Team Lynne," Aunt Lemon announces, "Please show us your creation."

I can feel my heart hammering in my chest, but I step forward and begin speaking. "Well... We had a lot of complications this time," I murmur, not sure what else to say. I don't think they'll care if I didn't have my inhaler. It is a professional match after all.

"We are aware of that Kashino-san," One of the judges says, "And we will take that into account. But right now, please explain your idea."

My cheeks feel like they are burning with coals lit by the sun. "W-well, the idea we had for perseverance was that for me to be the leader takes perseverance on my part," I try to make myself sound smart, but it's not working now. I can't think properly and it's mortifying.

"Like now, she's having trouble explaining, but she has to because she's the leader."

Isho-kun...?

"That's right, but as a team we can get over it and persevere. Right Kashino-chan?"

I look behind me. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are trying to help me. I find the gesture comforting.

"R-right!" I agree, nodding my head furiously.

"We help her because we forced her into the position," Himoto contributes finally, "But we can do anything as a team because we persevere through it. And so, that is why we made cakes to represent our team."

The judges make murmurs of agreement, or at least understanding. I'm not sure. I present each cake one by one.

"So the first cake is to represent Isho-kun," I say somewhat shyly. Looking at the green fondant and piped vines, I add, "We were going to add marzipan flower petals, but because of... reasons. We couldn't get that done."

The cake is cut and the judges sample. They chew and I feel my stomach twist into a knot. "It has good texture." One says finally.

"It's a very interesting idea to use a floral taste instead of something else," Another remarks, "How did you guys make that happen?"

"Well, my Uncle Hanabusa taught me a technique once," I stammer sheepishly, "If you mix syrup and rose water and dip each side of the cake in it, it gives it a good scent."

There is a murmur when I mention Uncle Hanabusa. Obviously, he's remembered too.

"I'm not too sure about the decorations," The judge on the far left says, "The vines look a little... shaky."

"I'm sorry," Isho-kun apologizes, "We were running out of time and I suppose my hand started shaking under pressure."

The judge pauses to ingest the information, "Alright then."

Next is Komanda-kun's cake. "This is cake is to represent Komanda-kun. We were supposed to use navy blue royal icing, but we didn't have time for the cake to cool enough. So we covered it in white fondant instead."

"I like the plaid design," One judge says, "And problem solving by using white fondant as a replacement is smart."

A flicker of hope lights up in my heart. They cut the cake and pass it out.

"This tastes... interesting." The judge in the middle tells us, her eyes crinkling, "What is it?"

"Green tea," Komanda-kun replies, "Is something wrong with it?"

The judge beside her answers, "Much too powerful. Tone it down next time."

I can feel Maya staring at me, burning holes into my neck. She's probably laughing on the inside. She's probably gloating on the inside. I'm not too sure how I feel about that. "My mistake," Komanda-kun says politely, "Thank you."

Himoto is next up. In the end, even though he was the furthest behind, his cake looks very presentable. The icing is smooth and the chocolate shreds almost look like feathers. "This is Himoto's cake," I continue on with my explanation, "We were going to use caramel frosting to glue on chocolate decorations, but we didn't have much time to."

"Understandable," One of them agrees.

They cut the cake and pass it out. I glance at Himoto. He's got determined plastered on his face. His jaw line stiff, like he's biting down on something. The gleam in his eye. He's proud of his work and he wants the judges to like it too.

Something inside of me wants them to like it too, because after all, Himoto is my friend. The cake is sampled and I find me, myself, holding my breath to hear what they have to say.

"Delectable," One exclaims excitedly.

"Smooth, very silky chocolate, that takes great technique."

"The bits add great contrast in both texture and taste."

"Decoration is simple and effective."

They seem to have a lot of good things to say. One thing they say negatively though, it gets to me. "There are worried feelings in your cake."

Worried? Could he have been worried about... me?

"We were very stressed," Himoto mumbles quietly. I look at him, trying to get him to look at me, but he doesn't. "I'm sorry if that ruins it for you."

The judges all nod. Was he really that worried about me? So worried it appeared in his cake? I'm not sure. But do I want that? Do I not? I can't decipher my own feelings on it.

"Kashino-san," One of the judges pulls me out of my trance, "Please explain the last cake to us."

"R-right," I stammer, caught off guard, "Mine was one we were able to finish." I look over the cake and feel proud. We worked as a team and were at least able to finish this cake. "My cake is vanilla with strawberry syrup in the center. We chose to do this because even though I may seem put together and clean, I still have everything inside of me melting down when it comes to being a leader. The cake is iced with whipped cream and fresh strawberries."

"It's a little plain for the center of attention," Says the judge on the right.

I stare at it again. Maybe... a little bit.

They cut the cake and the syrup spills over each slice like a coating. There is an 'ooh' from the audience, who have been strangely quietly up until now.

Each judge is given a piece. I feel like all eyes are on me as they chew. I'm getting nervous again. "It's amazing, don't worry," I hear Himoto's reassuring voice in my ear. It helps me relax a little. His fingertips brush against my wrist, "It's okay."

"Very spongy cake," The judge with red hair smiles, "Nice texture."

"The only thing is," Another adds, "There's not much of it. I think there's too much syrup. It makes it a little too slippery and sweet."

"I-I'm sorry," I stammer, my voice quaking, "I-if I could do it again I would..."

"Don't worry so much Kashino-san," One judge tells me, in an attempt to calm me down, "It's a good cake overall. Good job Team Lynne."

I almost fall back in relief. Thank goodness, that's over.

"The judges will now take a few minutes to discuss the scores for both teams. Good luck and well done to all of you," Aunt Lemon says. "You may sit at your stations."

We all go back and sit on the stools surrounding the table. "I'm sorry guys," I say finally. It's been a weight on me ever since the match was over, "It's my fault we fell so far behind. I'm sorry to have let you down."

"It's not your fault; I don't understand why you're apologizing." Himoto replies instantly, "It's that demon girl's fault. I don't want you apologizing for what you have no control over, okay?"

I laugh in spite of the situation, "Okay, okay." With a smile, I say, "You know she likes you right?"

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun crack up at this. I'm glad after all this, we're still all friends and no one is mad at each other. "I know that!" He exclaims, caught off guard, "Who could miss it?"

"No one," Isho-kun stifles a laugh, "That's why it's so hilarious."

"Agreed," Komanda-kun says. And then, we all burst into full on laughter.

I'm glad to have such an amazing team.

XxXxX

"The scores are in!" Aunt Lemon announces finally. The whole room goes silent.

Another judge stands, "This match was to be judged in 5 categories, 100 points able to be awarded for each for a total score of 500. The 5 categories are presentation, creativity, skill, difficulty and theme."

"First, Team Maya. Presentation: 85. Creativity: 85. Skill: 84. Difficulty: 86. Theme: 80." The numbers flash onto the screen, displaying in bright green. "Total score, 420."

There is a moment of hope in my stomach. The scores from our first round were a lot higher than that. Both our team and Team Katsumo. If we can get a score like that again, we'll be able to win. But then the cold remembrance of our unfinished creations sweeps over me. We could never get a score like last time for this.

"And Team Lynne," Aunt Lemon says smoothly, "Presentation: 81. Creativity: 86. Skill: 85. Difficulty: 85. Theme: 82."

I hold my breath. Please. Kami-sama, don't let this be the end for us.

Aunt Lemon hesitates, almost as if she's bearing bad news. "Total score, 419."

XxXxX

I feel like I'm moving through jello. Did she say... 419? We're one point... Behind?

The crowd gasps. It's a tight race. Extremely.

But... But...

My legs give out from under me. The sweet princes catch me. Maya's laugh flows into my ears and I'm instantly filled with rage. She played dirty. And it worked for her.

That's not fair.

I want to kick and scream but I can't. "Hey, hey, it's okay," Himoto tells me, shaking me lightly.

I didn't even realize, but tears of frustration are rushing to my eyes. My hands are squeezed tight into fists. I have to stay strong. But it's so hard. He reaches over and unfolds my hands, "Push the feelings away. You don't want to make a scene. It's okay."

I take a deep breath and bite on my lip. I will not cry. I will NOT.

I watch, with emptiness swallowing me as Team Maya comes up on the screen in lights, pronouncing them the winners. It's over.

It's all over.

I look at the judges, who look at me solemnly, as if they feel bad for us. "T-thank you for the opportunity." I whisper finally. "It's been an amazing experience... no matter how short it may have been."

The horrible feeling still lingers. I've let down everyone depending on me, everyone cheering on me, I've let down my parents who are already awaiting my victory. This can't be happening.

"Now wait one minute Miss."

Rubbing away oncoming tears, I look up. It's the chairman, standing beside Aunt Lemon with the microphone. "You're not done. Not yet."

"Not yet?" I repeat in awe.

"You may recall, but we are sending 4 middle school teams into the grand prix. As the matches turn out, we only have 3 victorious teams."

"Okay..." Isho-kun chimes in, "What does that mean for us?"

"There's one more match for you. Any team that lost in the second round gets the chance to compete against the other teams who have lost for the final spot into the grand prix." He says it so calmly. How? It's another chance!

I straighten up, "Really?"

"It's called the wild card round," He nods, "Now practise hard and do a good job. That's all I'd like to say."

He then walks away and out of the room. He's always been an odd one. Maya's face is screwed up in her sour, things have not gone my way, face. "She gets a second chance? Even though she lost?"

"Yes," Aunt Lemon comes to my defense, "I'm quite certain this match was a little... biased. Don't you think Maya?"

"W-well..." She stammers, not sure what she should say to protect herself.

"I'm sure she deserves another chance, don't you?"

Maya has nothing to say. I smile. Looking at my team mates, I laugh, relieved, "Come on guys. We've got practise to start!"

We have to win the wild card round. We just have to.

* * *

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	15. Sweet Princes, The Doppelgangers?

**Me: Hi guys! I know, quick update. Yay!**

**Kashino: At least you've got your writing somewhat in order...**

**Me: Anyway, I don't have much time, but guys I changed my update website. It's tumblr now! Hehe. Go check it out! The new link is on my profile. I'd be so happy if you guys comment and ask questions :)**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 15: Sweet Princes, The Doppelgangers?

Aunt Lemon later tells us about the wild card round. It's a free for all competition, you choose the theme, and you choose the sweet. It seems easy enough, yet the most difficult. If you don't choose a strong enough theme, you'll never win. We really have to bring it this time; I know what it's like losing.

And it's never going to happen again.

"So," I ask to the sweet princes, "What do you think we can do to really prepare for this match?"

"We should do something different that we haven't done yet," Himoto says from beside me. We're sitting in the kitchen rooms. He's sitting beside me again. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun sit in front of us.

Isho-kun adds, "Something that will broaden our experiences."

"What if we worked with professionals?" Komanda-kun suggests, "After all, we've practised almost everything by ourselves. What if we got help from people better than us?"

I like that idea a lot. We need someone who owns a store front, someone who makes sweets for a living, someone who knows everything about it. Inside and out.

But who?

"Who do you think would take us in?" I ask, leaning forward and placing my elbows on the table.

Himoto laughs, "Kashino, did it occur to you that your parents are profession sweet shop owners? Or did you forget?"

I'm not sure what to say to that. For sure, 'Oh, right' will make me look stupid. "I didn't forget," I reply smoothly, "I was just thinking we would want people other than my parents to teach us..."

"I think it's a great idea," Isho-kun agrees with Himoto, "Besides, we've never met your family Lynne-chan!"

That's when my cheeks turn red. I'm not too sure if I want them to meet my family, they can be kind of... embarrassing. "I-I guess... But seriously, someone else might..."

"It sounds perfect," Komanda-kun cuts me off, "Why don't you call them and ask Kashino-chan?"

I guess I have no option. They all want to go. I'll just ask Mom and Dad not to let my brothers embarrass me. "... Okay. I'll call them."

I take out my phone and dial the number. Clicking the speakerphone button, we all hear the ringer echo through the room. Finally, a tinny voice answers, "La Reve Couleur, how may I help you?"

"Mom?" I ask, feeling awkward that the guys are listening in. I'm praying that she won't say something embarrassing.

"Lynnie!" Mom exclaims. NO. NO. She didn't just...

"Lynnie?" Himoto whispers in my ear, nudging me with his elbow.

I shove him back in return. "Hi Mom! I'm on speakerphone, my team mates are here too." I hope she gets the hint, "We were wondering if you could help us..."

"Team mates? You've never even told me about them Lynne! Hello team mates of Lynne!"

I feel like face-palming. Mom has never been one to take a hint. "Mom," I groan, trying a different hint, my tone of voice implying 'YOU'RE EMBARASSING ME!', "We called to ask you a question."

"Oh sure thing sweet heart! I mean... Lynne." Mom corrects herself.

I guess she got the second hint. "We were wondering if you and Dad would mind helping us prepare for our wild card match."

"Lemon-chan told me about that!" Mom chirps in her optimistic tone, "I'm so happy you all get a second chance. Let me ask Dad, you know how he is. He hates it when people bother him with his work, even me."

We all hear her put her hand to the phone yet we still hear her scream for Dad. I wince. Himoto's trying not to laugh. Great.

"WHAT?" Dad yells back, "You know I'm making chocolate right?"

"I know, I know. But this has to do with your daughter! I'm pretty sure she's more important than chocolate right?"

"... Is she on the phone?"

"Yeah! Now get your butt over here!"

We hear the clatter of tools before Dad's voice gets louder as he approaches. "What?"

"Geez, at least say hi to your daughter before giving me that look!"

Dad sighs, "Hi Lynne."

"Hi Dad," I say softly. This is so embarrassing. My family is nuts, especially Mom and Dad.

"So what's your reason for calling?" He asks.

Before I can answer, Isho-kun says, "We were wondering if you and your wife would be so kind as to let us into your home and help us with our grand prix match."

There's a moment of silence. I can only cringe at what Dad must be thinking. "... Who is that...?" He asks.

Oh geez. He's already met Isho-kun. I hope he's okay with him. "Isho-kun Dad," I say tentatively, "The boy you met when you dropped me off?"

"... Oh right. I knew his voice was from... somewhere. Who else are you with?"

Now he's going to freak when he realizes I'm with 3 guys. Great. Dad's freak outs are the worse. "Komanda-kun and Himoto, they're the two other boys in my group."

"You're with 3 boys?"

"GEEZ MAKOTO!" Mom interrupts, "Stop being so snoopy and answer her question!"

That's when Himoto cracks up laughing. I slap my hand over his hand. "I'm sorry that I'm concerned that my daughter is alone with 3 boys," Dad argues with Mom.

"I was alone with you, Hanabusa-kun and Andou-kun, what's the difference?" Mom retaliates.

I know where this is going. They're going to have a full on argument over the phone and the sweet princes are going to have to hear it all.

"You weren't my daughter! That's the difference!"

I laugh nervously and look at the three boys. My hand is still over Himoto's mouth, but he's stopped laughing, so I remove it. "What was that for?" He hisses quietly.

"I didn't want my parents to hear you laughing at them!" I whisper sharply in return. "Mom? Dad?" They stop arguing.

"Yes Lynne?" Mom asks, as if she hasn't just argued with her husband over the phone where her daughter and team can hear her.

"Could you please tell us if you can help us out?" I ask, almost whining, "That's the whole reason I called you in the first place."

There's a moment of silence. I know Mom and Dad are looking at each other and communicating without speaking. It's like some strange telepathy thing they have going on. "Of course you can," Mom says happily. "Right Makoto?"

"Yeah, yeah, I want to meet these... boys."

"Dad!" I exclaim. All three sweet princes are looking at me with raised eyebrows; I can feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.

"Ma-ko-to!" Mom scolds, sounding out every syllable clearly, "You can come tomorrow, okay Lynne?"

"Okay Mom..." I reply.

"See you, bye!" Mom says, before she clicks off I can hear her say, "Geez! You're so overprotective..." and then the line goes dead.

I sigh and say emotionlessly, "Ladies and gentlemen, my family."

And that's when all 3 of them burst out laughing.

XxXxX

The next day, we're going to go back to where I've grown up. I don't know why, but it feels weird. It's the end of September. I feel like I haven't been home in forever.

I feel like there are a lot of decisions to make. What do I want to wear? Do I want to wear something that makes my parents know I've changed? Or do I wear something similar? How should I greet them? I feel disjointed from my own family. It feels like this weird feeling inside me. I've been separated from my family too long. I don't even know how to be when I'm with them.

The sweet princes are waiting downstairs for me. Hana-chan told me. I've got about 5 outfits spread across my bed. I'm not sure which one to choose.

Hana-chan finally helps me. I want to look different, but not too different she says. She has the best advice. We decide on a gray shirt, black infinity scarf and black jeans. Then, she pushes me out the door so the sweet princes and I don't miss our bus.

"What took so long?" Himoto asks when I come running down the stairs into the dorm lobby.

"I was picking an outfit," I stick my tongue out at him as I do my hair up in a ponytail.

"Typical girl," He grumbles.

Isho-kun smiles at me, "Well, I think you look quite pretty today Lynne-chan."

"Thanks!" I look at Himoto, "At least someone knows how to talk to a girl properly."

"Whatever," Himoto shrugs.

XxXxX

We ride the bus in silence. I sit in the window seat while Himoto sits beside me. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun sit across the aisle. I'm looking through my iPod at photos of my family. There are so many momentous pictures here. My 13th birthday, me pushing Dylan on the swings when we were small, Dad carrying me and spinning me around when I was 3; I saved a lot of pictures onto here in hope to keep me from being homesick and it occurs to me that I haven't looked at them since I downloaded them onto here.

"What's wrong?"

I look away from my iPod; Himoto is staring at me intently. "What makes you think something's wrong?" I ask, trying to avoid answering.

"You look like something's wrong," He answers simply, shrugging as if it's so simple, "What is it?"

I bite my lip, "I just realized I've been forgetting about my family." I take a deep breath, "They've been at home and I haven't really thought about coming home for a long time. It's almost been a month. I feel bad about it."

As I continue to chew on my lip, Himoto thinks of what to say. "Well, a lot's happened in a month. I can imagine we're too busy to be thinking about much else."

"I guess, but... they've probably been thinking of me," I whisper, "It just feels kind of... sickening, to know that they've been missing me but I haven't even thought about them."

"Don't worry about it," Himoto assures me, "You'll always love them, whether or not you're thinking of them and you'll always be missing them, even if you don't realize it."

I wonder if Himoto thinks of his parents. "That's true."

Then he reaches forward and says softly, "And stop biting on your lip, it'll start bleeding."

I don't remember when this was okay. For Himoto to be so close to me. We used to hate each other. I would have never let him near me like this. What exactly happened?

Pulling away, I look out the window, "We're almost here." Everything is starting to feel familiar again. The trees, the streets, the houses lined up on the street, trimmed and perfect just like I remember.

Himoto takes the iPod from my hand, "Is that really you?" He asks finally. He's looking at a picture of Michael's 12th birthday. I was 6 at the time, full bangs and two pigtail braids.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" I laugh, grabbing it back.

"Nothing," He jokes, "Just wondering. She's short, just like you, so..."

I raise my eyebrows and gasp, "You jerk!" But when I say it, I'm not mad. Himoto really is one of my good friends.

XxXxX

We got off the bus a few minutes after that. The sweet princes follow behind me, looking around. They have never been here before. "You grew up here Lynne-chan?" Isho-kun asks.

"Yeah," I point down the street, "There's my house."

It's the same as always. The white siding, the black roof; Mom's oak tree is teeming with colourful coloured leaves. "It's very nice," Komanda-kun remarks, looking around. The blinds are down, so no one can see us approaching.

I go up to the door and tap on the knocker, "Hello!" I call out. We all hear noise as someone seems to jump up and run to the door. I know only one person who that could be...

The door swings open and almost immediately Dylan jumps on me. "LYNNIE!" He yells, throwing his arms around me. I blush, turning to look bad at the sweet princes. They're smiling. " I missed you so much!" He mumbles softly, hugging me tightly.

Himoto's right. I do miss my family, even if I didn't realize it. Tears almost well up in my eyes, "I missed you too Dyl-Dyl." I move my hand along the top of his head, "So much."

"Mom, Dad! Lynnie's home!" Dylan lets go of me and exclaims into the house, "Come! She's brought 3 boys with her!"

That's when it seems Dad appears suddenly. "Hello," He says stiffly, eyeing each of them down, "I'm Kashino Makoto, Lynne's father. It's... interesting to meet you."

"Makoto," Mom slaps him on the shoulder, "Be hospitable, please."

He rolls his eyes, "Yes honey, I'm sorry." His tone doesn't really sound like he's sorry. Mom invites us in and we all sit in the living room.

"Oh! I've got something for you guys," Mom rushes toward the kitchen, "Be back in a sec!"

Dylan runs up the stairs into his room. I guess he's seen me and is now going back to whatever he was doing before we got here. We sit in awkward silence for Mom as Dad stares at all 3 of the sweet princes. "So," He asks, "What are your grades in school boys?"

"Um, we're all on the honor roll," Isho-kun says finally, after a pause, "Himoto is the top of class."

"Thank you for letting us into your house by the way," Komanda-kun adds politely.

"My pleasure," Dad says slowly. Himoto doesn't say anything, he's just staring at Dad though I'm not sure why.

Mom saunters back in the room with a tray, "Here! I made strawberry tarts for you guys!" The sweet princes' eyes widen. Like they said, being able to taste one of my mom's strawberry tarts is rare. She doesn't sell them in the shop.

"You didn't have to Mrs. Kashino," Komanda-kun says, though he takes one from her.

"Sure I did!" Mom smiles, her big optimistic smile, "And don't call me Mrs. Kashino, Ichigo is fine!"

Isho-kun and Himoto also take a tart. They all take their first bite and I instantly see the change in their faces, "This is amazing!" Isho-kun exclaims.

"Delectable," Komanda-kun agrees with a nod.

Himoto doesn't say anything for a second. But slowly, he looks me in the eye and asks, "Kashino... Why can't you make sweets like this?"

"EXCUSE ME?" I yell, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugs, a smirk playing on his face, "It's just that... Your sweets are nothing compared to your Mom's."

"Take that back!" I retaliate, pouting my lips, "You chocolate devil!"

"It's been a while since that nickname's come up," He says, taking another spoonful of tart.

That's so true. I haven't called him that since I first met him. "Well," Mom says, a gleam in her eye, "You seem to be friendly."

She looks at Dad, they're having one of those weird telepathy moments again. Dad rolls his eyes at her, "Please Ichigo. As if."

"Oh come on! You know it does!"

He ignores her, "So, I'm glad you all have good grades. I wouldn't want Lynne to be falling behind in studies. You can all help her."

"Dad!" I exclaim, my cheeks are turning bright red. I know it.

"I apologize for my husband's behaviour," Mom says, elbowing Dad in the side, "Now, it'd be nice to know a little about you guys! I want to know all about Lynne's friends!"

I don't know if Mom notices, but she's doing the same thing as Dad. She's trying to find out all about them. She's just doing it in a friendlier way.

"Well... What is it exactly you want to know?" Himoto asks, slightly defensive.

Mom is about to say something when the doorbell rings. No one moves for a second. "Mom... PLEASE tell me you didn't invite anyone over..."

"I didn't!" She exclaims, "Makoto, you didn't right?"

"Not that I know of," Dad answers, not very interested, "Why are we having this conversation? Just open the door!" Himoto laughs but tries to cover it up, it sounds like a strangled cough.

Mom gets up to go answer the door. "HI HI!" Someone yells. I know that voice all too well.

"A-Akemi-chan!" Mom cheers excitedly, "How are you darling?"

"Good," The ten year old replies. She looks past Mom and asks, "Is Dylan here?"

Mom laughs a little bit, "In his room. Why don't you go say hi?" Akemi crosses the living room, where we're all sitting.

"Hi Mr. Kashino! Hi Lynne!" She greets, when she sees all the new people she asks, "Who are you guys?"

"More importantly," Himoto stares her down, "Who are you?"

"Akemi Andou thank you!" Akemi responds, crossing her arms and smiling proudly. She really does look like Uncle Andou, her hair is dark just like his. Although, she has her mother's features; Aunt Kana's soft eyes and smile.

Uncle Andou and Aunt Kana come in through the door, "Geez Akemi! You're too fast!" Aunt Kana laughs lightly, "Hello Ichigo-chan!"

Mom is slightly surprised, though she never admits that to guests, "It's so nice to see you guys! ... Why are you here?"

"Just thought we'd pass by on our way home," Uncle Andou looks over at Dad, "Hello Ma-kun."

Dad shifts uncomfortably for a second, which is rare for him, "I thought we'd have outgrown that by now."

Akemi looks around and looks at Komanda-kun, "Hey! You look like my dad!" She exclaims loudly. It's true. Komanda-kun has always reminded me of Uncle Andou; no doubt Akemi would have noticed it too.

"Um... Thank you," Komanda-kun replies, his eyes dart around the room as if he doesn't really know what he should do.

Akemi seems to instantly remember what she came for and rushes up the stairs, no doubt to play with my brother. Uncle Andou and Aunt Kana come into the living room and sit with Mom and Dad.

This is so incredibly weird. It's like the sweet princes are meeting every single person in my life. "So where were we?" Mom asks awkwardly.

Isho-kun tries to be courteous, "Well, you were wanting to know more about us, but what, we're not-"

He doesn't get to continue however because the doorbell rings again. "Now what?" Dad grumbles impatiently.

"That would be Hanabusa and Rumi," Uncle Andou says, "We told them we were coming here. I guess they wanted to come too."

"More people?!" My jaw drops. Seriously? Why must Mom and Dad host house parties when I decide to bring my team mates to my house?

Mom gets up and answers the door. Uncle Andou is correct. It is Uncle Hanabusa and Aunt Rumi. Swaddled in Aunt Rumi's arms is their new baby, 5 months old Hanabusa Benjirou. "Hi guys!" Mom greets, though I can see in her eyes that she's overwhelmed by everyone's sudden appearance. "How are you guys? Hello little Benjirou!" She coos and tickles him gently with her index finger.

"Hi Ichigo-chan!" Rumi smiles, rocking a laughing Benjirou, "We heard Andou and Kana were coming over... So we decided to swing by!"

Mom laughs nervously, "Yeah...! Let me introduce you to Lynne's friends..."

So now, Mom, Dad, Uncle Andou, Aunt Kana, Uncle Hanabusa, Aunt Rumi and Benjirou sit on the other couch across ours. I can tell the sweet princes are very intimidated. These people are famous to them and here they are, sitting right in front of them.

Himoto fidgets beside me. "So..." I say slowly, "Um, Uncle Andou, Uncle Hanabusa, Aunt Kana, Aunt Rumi... These are my team mates, Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and Himoto."

"Hi!" Aunt Rumi greets cheerfully, "It's nice to meet you!"

"... Likewise," Isho-kun replies awkwardly.

"What are you all doing here?" Aunt Kana asks.

"We were going to help them prepare for their grand prix match!" Mom chirps, "Right Makoto?"

Dad nods, "Uh... Yeah." He sounds distracted. I finally notice something. Dad is sitting across from Himoto, Uncle Andou is sitting across from Komanda-kun, and Uncle Hanabusa is sitting across from Isho-kun. They're all looking at each other as if this is the strangest thing ever. And it sort of is.

"My, it feels like déjà vu, doesn't it guys?" Uncle Hanabusa says, flicking at his green bangs. A habit he's had, Mom says, since she met him.

"Yup," Dad agrees.

"Yeah," Uncle Andou says as well.

There's awkward silence. I feel like my head is going to explode. "So..." Uncle Hanabusa says to Isho-kun, "What is your specialty in the culinary arts?"

"C-candy," Isho-kun stammers, I can tell he's nervous. Uncle Hanabusa has to be one of his hugest influences and role models, "Especially candy art."

Uncle Hanabusa smiles warmly, "Good. You're on the right path then."

Dad glares at him, "What's that supposed to mean? Chocolate is a lot harder than candy!"

"I agree," Himoto says, expressionless. He's speaking like he did when he first met me.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that combining western flavours with Japanese flavours is harder," Uncle Andou interjects.

"And I second that," Komanda-kun responds. There's a pause.

By some miracle, Uncle Hanabusa says something perfect, "I like you." He tells Isho-kun. And then, it's almost as if Mom's sweet princes and mine just suddenly seem to click. They've all stood up and are socializing with each other. As well as boys can. Isho-kun and Uncle Hanabusa are talking about their artistic abilities, Komanda-kun and Uncle Andou are discussing baking theories, and Himoto and Dad... They're being really stiff with each other. I really hope they can become friendlier. I don't know why, but I want my Dad to accept Himoto as a good person.

As they get to know each other, it leaves me, Mom, Aunt Rumi and Aunt Kana on the couch. "This is so strange!" Aunt Rumi finally laughs, "Don't you think? It's like... Sweet princes meet sweet princes!"

"Exactly!" I say, "I've been thinking that the whole time. It's like their... Lookalikes."

"Doppelgangers," Aunt Kana adds.

I nod, "That's the word."

Mom is silent for a while, looking at each pairing of princes. "Lynne... Do you like any of them?"

It suddenly feels as though the room is five million times hotter. "Like them? I like all of them. Yeah..."

"You know what I mean!" Mom leans forward and touches my knee, smirking she asks, "Which one do you... like-like?" She bursts out giggling. It's nice to know Mom has matured since she was a kid.

"Like-like?" I repeat, "PLEASE. Mom, none of them are even anything special..."

"Aha!" Aunt Rumi interjects, "That's what your mom kept saying about Hanabusa, Andou and Kashino! You were wrong, huh girl?"

It's Mom's turn to blush, "Come on! That's not fair! You married one of them too!"

"But you married Kashino first," Aunt Kana reminds her, "And you were always saying he was a mean, jerk faced devil."

"Guys!" Mom exclaims.

"Now you know how I feel," I tell her.

Aunt Rumi unwraps Benjirou from his blanket cocoon and balances him on her knee, "But seriously though, which one of them do you like? Or at least... Who do you think is the cutest?"

"Why are you guys thinking of things like that?" I moan, not willing to answer the question.

"I personally like the one talking to Andou, Komanda was it?" Aunt Kana says.

"No way! Isho is obviously the cutest!" Aunt Rumi argues.

"Guys! You only like them because they remind you of your husbands'..." Mom tells them.

Aunt Rumi rolls her eyes, "Come on Ichigo-chan! Me and Kana both know that you like Himoto because he reminds you of Kashino."

Mom's cheeks are a funny shade of red, she has the facial expression that only her friends and Dad can get out of her. "That's beside the point! All that matters is who Lynne likes."

"I don't like any of them like that," I respond stubbornly. I don't. Komanda-kun is like my brother. Isho-kun is like a moral support. Himoto... He's... He's a close friend.

"Come on, you like Komanda don't you?" Aunt Kana presses.

"No, of course not! Actually, he reminds me of Michael. He's like an older brother."

"Isho then?" Aunt Rumi insists.

"... No. He's just... Not really the type." I say, trying not to sound mean.

"Himoto?" Mom asks.

This is when I start blushing, "NO MOM! Absolutely not!"

All 3 women look at each other, "Mhm." They say together.

I groan. It's just like them. They never believe me when it comes to this stuff. "Come on Mom, the whole reason we came here was so you could help us with our grand prix match."

"That's right!" Mom exclaims, "I forgot!"

Ugh. Just like Mom. She always forgets the whole point of things. "Makoto! We need to help these guys out with their match. If they lose, they're done for!"

"I know that," Dad rolls his eyes, "We can go to the shop now if you want."

"The shop...?" I ask.

"You didn't think we were teaching you here, did you? We need a lot more space then that!" Mom tells me, "We're going to use the shop's kitchen."

Isho-kun says finally, "You mean... We're going to your patisserie?"

"Of course! We'll drive there, it only takes 20 minutes," Mom smiles, "Uh, Kana-chan... Rumi-chan would you mind watching Dylan? I'd take him with us, but there's no space in the car."

"Okay," Aunt Kana agrees, "Rumi and I will housesit, won't we?"

"Sure," Aunt Rumi agrees, "I have to put Benjirou down for a nap anyway." She looks at Uncle Hanabusa, "Are you going?"

"Me and Andou were thinking of going, yeah," Uncle Hanabusa answers, "Would you like the help Ichigo-chan?"

"Yes! The more the merrier!" Mom gushes cheekily, "You guys know how to get there I presume?"

"By heart," Uncle Andou agrees.

And so we all embark to the shop.

XxXxX

20 minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it does when the car is absolutely squished. "Ichigo... I don't think this is safe..." Dad tells her, turning a corner.

"Stop being such a worrywart!" Mom argues, "It's fine."

"You're squeezing 4 teenagers into the back meant for 3 people. I consider that pretty dangerous."

Dad's right. I'm pretty much sitting on top of the sweet princes. There's no space. We don't even have seatbelts on.

"It'll work out fine. Don't worry about it," Mom brushes it off, "Ah look! Here we are!"

Dad stops the car in front of the shop. It looks the same as always, if anything, it looks smaller than last time. The sweet princes look out at it, "It looks pretty small." Himoto says.

We get out of the car and stretch. It's not fun being squished beside each other. Mom gets out her key and opens the front door, "Here we are!" She cheers sweetly. Swinging the door open, the door bell rings. The sweet princes follow me, Mom and Dad into the shop. When they get in, they're reaction is exactly as I pictured it.

They gasp.

* * *

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	16. Teach Us, Where Should We Go?

**Me: Hey guys, I'm in a rush so this is going to be short and sweet. Where have I been for the past 2 weeks? I'm not going to tell you because I posted on my update blog about it! The link is on my profile, so check it out and follow me! :)**

**I DO NOT OWN YUMEIRO PATISSIERE!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 16: Teach Us, Where Should We Go?

The sweet princes look all around. This shop is absolutely amazing to them. It's the same as it's always been. The lodge style building, the homey feeling. But when they see the kitchen however, they completely flip. It's a beautiful, shiny, clean kitchen with industrial, state of the art equipment. I see Himoto's eyes wander to Dad's chocolate station. All of his tempering tools among others hang on a rack from above, almost sparkling. I can see his fingers twitch, itching to get over there and use them.

"What do you guys think?" Mom asks them, clasping her hands together excitedly.

"It's... Amazing!" Isho-kun gawks, with his jaw dropped, "It's..."

"Remarkable," Komanda-kun finishes.

Uncle Andou and Uncle Hanabusa come into the shop. "Are you guys ready to get started?" Uncle Andou asks.

"Because we can all tell you're dying to try some stuff out," Uncle Hanabusa continues.

"Definitely!" I cheer happily.

XxXxX

We decide to break into pairs, as there are 4 adults and 4 of us. Mom specifically says she wants to teach me something special, so I'm with her. Isho-kun and Uncle Hanabusa clicked almost instantly, so they chose to be together. Likewise for Komanda-kun and Uncle Andou. Himoto and my Dad however, I'm not too sure about them. They don't seem very friendly.

Mom hands me my apron. A special one she got me when I was eight years old. It was much too big for me then, but now it fits perfectly. It's light pink with purple butterflies and a huge front pocket. I tie it round my neck, "So what're we doing today Mom?" I ask her, smiling.

"I was thinking of doing something very special Lynne, are you up for it?" Mom says hesitantly.

"Of course I am!" I assure her, "But... What is it exactly?"

Mom twiddles her index fingers, "Well, you're getting older and I thought... Maybe... Would you like to learn how to make the Sourire de L'ange?"

My eyes shoot open wide, "You want to teach me your strawberry tart recipe?"

"Ever since you were born, I've wanted to give it to you. You are my only daughter after all."

"I'd love to Mom!" I exclaim, reaching out and giving her a hug, "I feel so honoured that you're sharing your secret recipe with me."

Mom laughs softly, "Besides me, you and Dad will be the only ones who know the exact recipe."

"So how are we going to do this?" I ask, letting go off her and tightening my ponytail. I'm so excited that Mom trusts me with something so special to her. It's the recipe that won her the grand prix. It scored a 499 out of 500. I can only imagine how challenging and exciting it will be to learn.

Meanwhile, the sweet princes work with their partners. I look back at what they're doing. Isho-kun and Uncle Hanabusa are making candy flowers. Komanda-kun and Uncle Andou are making green tea caramels. Mom tells me they are the same ones Uncle Andou gave her when she first met him. Finally, Himoto and Dad are tempering chocolate.

What perplexes me is they seem to be having a deep, serious conversation. Or is that just how they both are? That they speak seriously whether or not it's serious?

Mom teaches me and as she does, I keep glancing back at them, what could they be talking about? Throughout the whole time, they haven't once lightened up.

"Lynne, don't worry. I'm sure your father has everything under control," Mom sees right through me, "He's probably just trying to get to know him. Your Dad loves you and just wants to make sure you're around the right kind of people."

"Himoto's a good person!" I say almost automatically, "I mean... How does he even look like a bad person?"

Mom shrugs, "He doesn't. Your Dad is just very overprotective of you, Michael and Dylan too. But when it comes to relationships with people, Dad just really wants to protect you."

"There's nothing going on between us Mom," I reply stubbornly, pausing from my job at whisking eggs, "I don't see why you and Dad think there is."

"It's something you understand when you're older," Mom tells me, looking almost nostalgic, "You remember how me and your Dad met?"

I sigh and start at whisking again, "Yes Mom. You've only told it about 5 million times. Sometimes it feels like that's the only story you have to tell."

Mom pouts at me, "Don't give me that attitude young lady! But seriously, you and Himoto... I don't know, but you just remind me of Dad and I."

"Don't think like that," I grumble, "We're just close friends."

"Would you say best friends?" Mom presses on. I look at her and see her mouth is twitching, trying to avoid smiling.

"I guess... But I don't think he would call me his best friend," I respond slowly, I don't know why, but it slightly disappoints me.

Mom rubs my back gently and doesn't say anything further on the subject, "You know, you're brother really missed you."

I look up at her and raise my eyebrows, "Oh really? He seemed excited to see me and then all of a sudden he dashes back up into his room, what was that all about?"

Mom laughs and I immediately know that she knows something I don't. "He's got a surprise for you."

"Seriously?" I ask, excitement edging my voice, "Will I like it?"

"Only you can say," She answers, completely avoiding giving away any hints.

"Oh come on Mom! Now's the time you can keep secrets?"

"Of course Lynnie, that's just the way I am."

XxXxX

After a while, we take a break. We've been going on for a few hours. As Mom, Dad, Uncle Hanabusa, and Uncle Andou talk, I take the sweet princes out to see the rest of Marie's Garden, which is where Mom and Dad's shop is.

"So you were here a lot when you grew up Lynne-chan?" Isho-kun asks.

"Yeah, when I was small, my parents had work and I wasn't old enough for school. They would take turns watching me as they worked in the shop. My Dad would always take me to different shops to try sweets when he could."

Himoto thinks about it, "You're Dad seems like the kind of person."

I look at him sceptically; wondering if that's supposed to be a compliment or an insult. Maybe it's some weird hybrid in the middle. "What do you mean by that?"

He shrugs, "Your Dad... He has good intentions."

I'm not too sure what he means by that. "Look at that!" Komanda-kun points to a shop on the corner of Main Street. It's Uncle Andou's sweet shop, Yumezuki. I smile. I wonder why I never thought to tell Komanda-kun about it. He would enjoy something like that; he is a lot like Uncle Andou after all.

"Do you want to go over there?" I ask him. I can tell that he really wants to go, yet he's trying to contain his excitement.

"Yes," He answers softly.

I laugh at this, "Go!"

Komanda-kun looks around and to Isho-kun, "Do you want to go with me?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure," Isho-kun looks at me and Himoto, "Are you guys coming too?"

Himoto shuffles his feet, "Uh... I need to... tell Kashino something."

"What's that?" I ask, slightly alarmed. What does he need to talk to me about?

"It's nothing major, it's... it's something your Dad told me."

Komanda-kun and Isho-kun head over to Uncle Andou's shop, "Okay..." I agree reluctantly.

XxXxX

"Take me somewhere," Himoto mumbles, "I don't feel like talking about it on the street."

"I thought it wasn't major?" I reply, looking around I decide on a place we can go.

"It's not," He replies slowly.

I take him to my favourite candy store. My Dad used to take me here all the time when I was little, so small in fact that Dylan was just a baby in his arms. He used to buy me a specific candy there, they were called Strawberry Hearts. He told me that was the candy he bought for Mom on their first date.

"So what did my Dad tell you?" I ask, as we walk down the aisles of bright coloured candy and sugary treats.

Himoto doesn't say anything for a moment, staring at the chocolates he says, "He was saying I was a lot like him."

"You are," I answer, "Well... Mostly."

"And he said you were a lot like your Mom," He continues.

What does that have to do with anything? "Okay... So what?"

"So he said, just like he protects your Mom, I have to protect you," Himoto mumbles finally. My eyes widen and he finally looks away from the chocolates, his face bright red, "Like... What the hell is he trying to tell me?"

"I'm not sure," I stammer, unsure of what to say in the situation, "But... My Dad, he really does get overprotective. Don't take that too seriously..."

"I don't know what he's talking about, but it got me thinking about lots of things," Himoto sighs, "We are friends... Right?"

I wonder why he needs the assurance. I thought he knew we were friends. "Of course we are!" I exclaim.

"Then... I'll to do what he says. I'll protect you, because you're my friend. And... That's what friends do, right?"

I may be wrong, but I feel like that is not what Dad meant. But what he really means, I'm not sure. "Yeah... I guess," I answer finally.

There's awkward silence. "That match against Maya, I'm sorry I couldn't have done something sooner."

Why is he apologizing for that all of a sudden? "Don't apologize for something you had no control over." I tell him, repeating his own words to me back at him.

"I guess so," He replies, staring at his watch. "It's almost time to go back to the shop."

I want to continue this conversation. I know it's nowhere near over, but I'm not going to argue. "Okay," I answer quietly. We're walking down the aisles when my stomach growls. It occurs to me I haven't eaten since this morning. The sweet princes may have gotten strawberry tarts, but I didn't.

Himoto laughs at me, "Your stomach's an endless pit Kashino."

I can feel my cheeks turning red, "No! I just haven't eaten in a while... Plus we're in a candy store!"

He shrugs, "Right, right." Grabbing a package of candy of the shelf, he takes it to the register and pays for it. Then he hands it to me, "Wouldn't want you to pass out of hunger." He jokes.

As I open the package and we walk out of the store, I don't mention the candies are Strawberry Hearts.

XxXxX

When we all meet up and head to the shop, Komanda-kun can't stop talking about Uncle Andou's store. By the time we get back to Mom and Dad's shop, I'm almost sick of hearing it. As we walk in, I realize Mom and Dad are going to tease me if they see me eating Strawberry Hearts. I stuff them in my pocket hastily.

The adults greet us upon our arrival and we all get back into work. By the end, we have a selection of sweets. Isho-kun and Uncle Hanabusa made candy roses, as usual. Komanda-kun and Uncle Andou made green tea caramels. Himoto and Dad made chocolate truffles. Mom and I proudly add our strawberry tarts to the mix.

"It looks delightful!" Mom cheers, clapping her hands together excitedly, "Plus, I'm SO hungry. Are you Lynnie?"

I blush at the nickname. I really should have got them to stop long time ago. "No Mom, I'm fine... I had... I have..." I'm not sure how to say 'Himoto bought me candy' without making them think anything stupid.

Mom is too hungry to care, thankfully. "Chocolates look so good! Makoto, which ones did you make?"

"Why does it matter?" Dad asks, he clasps Himoto by the shoulder, "This kid is actually pretty talented."

"I'm not a kid," Himoto says quietly.

"Oh! Which ones did you make...? Himoto?"

"The ones on the left," H says, still softly. I wonder what he's so nervous about. Or at least, why isn't he being the same person he is with me?

I want to take one too. But I don't think this is the time to ask. Mom pops a truffle in her mouth and chews. Then, as usual, her eyes go all dreamy and sparkly, "Mm! This is SO GOOD!" Placing her hands on her cheeks, she continues, "The creamy center and hard shell are the perfect texture and..."

I cut her off, because I don't want her to get stuck on cloud 9. "Can I try one?" I ask tentatively.

Himoto nods and I carefully pick one out of the assortment. It looks like milk chocolate and has pink sprinkles. I put it in my mouth and it's like it literally melts in my mouth. The inside is so soft and silky, like a ribbon. The sprinkles add just a touch of crunch too. "It's amazing," I breathe, reaching for another. Himoto slaps my hand away and I stare at him angrily.

"Save some for the other's Kashino," He says simply, smirking. Now that's the Himoto I know.

"Geez, I was only gonna take one more," I grumble, but never-the-less, let others take one before I get another.

We sample everyone's creations. They're all amazing and all the professional teaching really has given us a boost. But we're not any closer to coming up with a theme. Technique means nothing if you can't connect it to a theme.

I'm thinking of this as we head back to my house. But then again, good ideas never usually come when squished by three teenage boys to the car door.

XxXxX

When we get home, Mom opens the door and we all go back inside. Aunt Rumi and Aunt Kana are waiting for their husbands. Both families leave soon, leaving just Mom and Dad. "So, did you learn anything helpful today?" Mom asks us sweetly, beaming.

"Yeah, lots of techniques I had no clue about," Isho-kun contributes. "There are so many things I didn't know that only virtuosos in culinary would know."

Mom smiles, "That's great! It's actually what I wanted you guys to get most importantly out of this experience. You can practise all you want by yourselves, but there are some things that only people higher than you can teach you."

That's when I think of a theme. "I'VE GOT IT!" I yell aloud.

Startled from my outburst, everyone looks at me. "What...?" Dad asks hesitantly.

"Guidance! That can be the theme for our match!"

"Wait," Himoto stops me, "How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Not very long, but seriously! I've taken what Mom's said and it's clicked in my head. There are things you can't figure out on your own, you need to be guided. We can do a theme of guidance!" I chirp excitedly.

"That could work," Komanda-kun agrees, "After all, they did help us all day. It'd be easy to build a theme off an experience."

"It's perfect, right?" I turn to my parents eagerly.

Mom and Dad exchange a telepathic conversation by looking at each other. "Well... Yes," Mom answers finally.

"You don't sound too sure," I answer, my smile wavering slightly.

"It's not a bad idea, don't think that," Dad assures me, placing a hand on my shoulder, "It's just going to be hard to express clearly. It's a tricky theme."

"But-"

"I'm just saying," He continues, "it's a lot to risk, since this is your last chance to get into the grand prix."

"We can do it," Himoto interjects finally. He has the look of determination set in his eye, "If we try hard enough. We can."

"I'm not saying you can't," Dad argues, "I'm just saying that..."

"She's your daughter isn't she?" Himoto says back quickly, "Support her. I know I do. If she's leading us, I don't doubt her abilities. Neither should you."

Dad seems slightly taken aback. After all, no one our age has ever had the courage to say something like that. Most people are actually intimidated by Dad.

"Fine," He says shortly.

There a sick feeling inside of my stomach, like Himoto's just ruined my parents' idea that he could be a good kid.

I feel the need to get out of there for a little bit. "LYNNIE! CAN YOU COME UP HERE FOR A SECOND?" I'm slightly startled. I think my little brother's just saved me from an awkward situation.

"Yeah... I'm gonna go... Check on Dylan!" I say hastily; and I run up the stairs, leaving the sweet princes to deal.

XxXxX

"Lynnie! I have a surprise for you!" Dylan exclaims as I walk in the room. "Close your eyes!"

I shut them instantly, "What is it Dyl-Dyl?"

"Something awesome!" He assures me. I hear the chair scrape against the ground as he gets up. He's walking towards me. Then I feel him tug on the charm necklace Mom and Dad gave me.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I gasp, though I keep my eyes closed. He unclasps the necklace and takes it off my neck, "Dyl... What are you doing?"

"Give me a sec," He says, the way he says it makes me feel as though he's rolling his eyes.

Then he's putting the necklace back on and clasps it. "What was that all about?" I ask.

"I made a charm for you necklace!" Dylan says enthusiastically.

I look down, but I can't see it. "What is it?" I ask, turning toward his closet. There's a mirror attached to the door. Walking up to it and looking closely, I see he's made me a charm out of bending a paper clip. It's a little stick figure, with a pink cloth dress and bow. "Aw! Dyl, did you make this?"

"Yeah," He answers, sheepishly, "I searched it up on the internet and everything. It's just so you don't get homesick. Mom and Dad told me about how they gave you a charm necklace so you'd remember them. I got the idea to make you a charm so you won't forget me."

"Dyl, I could never forget you! You're my brother and I love you so much!" I open up my arms and he gives me a hug.

"I just miss you a lot," He confesses.

"I miss you too, I promise to come back and visit," I say, smoothing out his fine blond hair.

"Promise?" Dylan asks quietly.

I can keep promises. I know I can. "Promise." Then I think of what seems to be a smart idea, "Hey, I've got something for you."

"What's that?"

I dig into my pocket and pull out the crumpled package of Strawberry Hearts, "Himoto bought these and I don't want them anymore. You can have the rest."

His eyes light up at the sight of candy. Grabbing it, he reads the packaging, "Strawberry Hearts?"

"Don't ask," I shrug it off. "Come on, I'm leaving. Let's go downstairs."

XxXxX

When Dylan and I go down the stairs, I pray that all the tension is gone. It seems as though things are forgiven, but there is still tension. Especially between my Dad and Himoto.

"So, we're going to go now..." I say, laughing nervously.

"Alright sweetheart," Mom mumbles softly. "It was nice having you over. It was great to meet you. Good luck with the grand prix!"

"Thank you for having us," Isho-kun says politely.

We all head toward the door, I put my hand on the doorknob when I hear Mom ask Dylan, "Dyl... Where did you get that candy?"

"Lynnie gave it to me," He answers innocently, "She got them from Himoto and doesn't want them anymore."

"He bought her Strawberry Hearts?" Dad says slowly.

"TIME TO GO!" I yell hastily, swinging the door open, "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!"

"Come again soon!" Mom says as we all leave. Then, she closes the door behind us and I'm already dying to go back.

"We've got a sweet to plan," Komanda-kun says, breaking me out of my homesickness.

"R-right," I stammer, "Let's do this!"

* * *

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	17. Wild Card, Believe In Me!

**Me: Hiya people!**

**Lynne: ... Where am I?**

**Me: Hey Lynne-chan!**

**Lynne: What am I doing here...?**

**Me: Well, your my character, I wondered what it would be like for my own character to do the disclaimer. :)**

**Lynne: Disclaimer...?**

**Me: I'll explain it to you later. Just say "Mikashi doesn't own Yumeiro Patissiere."**

**Lynne: How about no?**

**Me: EH? WHY?**

**Lynne: Because I don't want to?**

**Me: Of course, you are like me after all...**

**Lynne: :)**

**Me: Fine. I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere. If you guys are wondering where I've been, I've explained it on tumblr countless times, so go check it out! The link is on my profile :3**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 17: Wild Card, Believe In Me!

After arriving back from my house, we sit in the kitchen to discuss a game plan for the wild card round. I'm slightly shaken from the 'fight' Himoto and my dad have had, although I'm still set on the theme of guidance for our sweet.

I lean forward, staring at the sweet princes intently, "What do we make to show the theme of guidance?" I ask finally.

Himoto sighs, "Geez. I backed you up against your dad and you have no idea what to do?"

I laugh nervously, "Well, not everything was planned out yet..."

"Think about what we've learned about the people who taught us," Isho-kun interjects, trying to cool off an argument before it starts. "What do we do to represent your mom, dad, Andou and Hanabusa? Representing them will show our theme of guidance."

"I guess so," I reply airily, tapping my index finger against my chin, "Well, Mom really likes strawberries. But that's a bit redundant. Same with Dad and chocolate, but that's what you think of when you think 'Kashino-Amano Ichigo' and 'Kashino Makoto.'"

"Maybe so to the public," Komanda-kun advises, "But what about you Kashino-chan? They've guided you your whole life, you know them on a more personal level. Take the strawberries and chocolate idea and expand on it. Make it deeper."

I try to think about it. It's hard to think of all the things Mom and Dad have tried guiding me towards, there's so many thing to consider. "Kashino... Can I see your iPod for a second?"

Scrunching my eyebrows, I turn to Himoto, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just do it," He instructs. I hand it over and he goes into my photos. Pulling up the same one of Michael's 12th birthday, which he had previously seen.

"What does this have to do with anything?" I ask curiously. It's just a picture of our family having birthday cake.

"What's the cake in the picture?" Himoto asks.

I take a closer look at it, "It's Mom and Dad's 'together' special. They had leftovers from the shop that day, why does it matter?"

"Wait, what's the together special?" Isho-kun breaks in.

"It's usually something they do on Valentine's Day or whenever they feel especially romantic," I roll my eyes. My parents are so cheesy. "It's a cake where they put their feelings together. It's usually a chocolate/strawberry cake, because they represent each other best that way."

"Well there you go," Himoto says, tossing my iPod on my open notebook so the picture stares up at me. "Take that cake and put in all your feelings about your parents."

"But... I can't do it by myself, especially in a grand prix match..."

"Who said you were doing it alone?" Himoto asks me, "I'm doing it with you."

I can feel heat creeping into my cheeks, "W-why?" I stammer.

His eyes waver for a second, "Because... I... I don't trust you to do the chocolate component yourself."

Komanda-kun sighs, "Yeah, that's got to be it."

Himoto glares at him before turning back to me, "So, we'll make a chocolate/strawberry cake."

Isho-kun speaks up, "Hey, Hanabusa was teaching me how to make a universal candy to shape different things. Maybe I could use that to make a strawberry garnish on the top?"

"Oh, Mom once got Uncle Hanabusa to help her make a candy strawberry," I contribute, "It was filled with tart strawberry filling. You broke it over the cake and ate the cake with the syrup."

"That's a great idea!" Komanda-kun agrees.

"So that's Isho-kun's job," I confirm, "But what about you Komanda-kun?"

Himoto says, "Well, we're representing the whole team right? What if we made a full dessert plate for a full team? Komanda, you could make a drink to complete the dessert."

"I am good with that, I guess..." Komanda-kun responds. "A traditional Japanese tea is matcha. I could make that."

"Right," I agree, "And then you can help Isho-kun with the candy garnishes."

We've got our idea done. Everyone is ecstatic to get working. The match is tomorrow, so we've got to get moving.

XxXxX

"What kind of strawberry chocolate cake should we make?" I ask Himoto. We sit together at one station while Isho-kun and Komanda-kun work at another.

"It needs to be similar to your parents' but unique to us." He answers, "That's what makes it difficult."

I guess he's right. "What do you think of my parents?" I ask cautiously.

He laughs lightly, "Hm, your mom sure is something. So optimistic and bubbly, I wonder sometimes how she and your dad work out. He's so blunt..."

"He's kind of like you," I tease gently, smiling.

"Yeah, well you're like your mom," He teases back. There's a pause. I realize we were suggesting we might end up like Mom and Dad.

Himoto clears his throat, "Well. Your mom... The flavour of her tart... It was happy and innovative. It was almost an inspiring kind of taste. The flavour of your dad's work is much different. It's smooth and technical, yet passionate."

"You describe it like you know them," I say, in awe.

"It comes with practice. A person's sweet always tells the person's personality."

"Yeah? What can you tell about me from my sweet?" I inquire him curiously.

He pauses, "I guess... Naivety?" Himoto's lips curl up in a smirk, he always does that when he teases me.

"You meanie!" I gasp, appalled.

"Okay, okay," Himoto surrenders, "In all seriousness, your sweets are light and bright. They're cute and sweet. They make you feel happy and loved, deep inside, in your heart."

Does Himoto really think that? If he thinks that about my sweets, then does he think the same thing about... me? "R-really?" I stammer, my cheeks feeling hot.

He seems to have noticed what he's implied, "Uh... Yeah. I do. I mean... I... Yeah."

There's an awkward pause. "E-even the cute and sweet part?" I ask, almost as if it's too good to be true.

"Uh..." Himoto mumbles, "Well I-"

"LYNNE!"

We both turn around, Fraise is darting toward us, Kumquat following closely behind. When I think about it, they're not around much. Maybe sweet spirits have gotten more flighty since Mom's time.

"What?" I ask her, I'm annoyed that she's interrupted our conversation. Himoto was going to tell me if I was cute... Whatever. It's not like it's important to me.

"Some of the competition is coming," She says worriedly, floating right in front of my face, "They... They look kind of angry."

And as soon as she says that, the door slams open. Fraise flinches and rushes behind me. Himoto stuffs Kumquat into his pocket.

4 people come into the room, all at least in their last year of middle school. Fraise is right, they look angry. They look around for a moment before their eyes settle on us. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun move from their station to stand with us.

There is one who is the tallest, and seems to almost lead the others. "Are you Team Lynne?" He asks.

"Yeah," I mumble quietly. They approach like a gang and I gulp. I'm not good at confrontation. Even with Team Katsumo, they scared me half to death. I can feel Himoto's hand brush against my wrist, almost as if he's trying to calm me.

"Pathetic," He grumbles, crossing his arms.

"Excuse me?" Himoto retorts angrily, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm Bishamon," He says, not answering Himoto's question. "By the looks of it..." He stares me in the eye. I suddenly feel as though I'm a little crumb on the left on the countertop, "You're Lynne?"

My eyes are locked looking into his. His gaze is so scary and intense, I'm frozen. "I... I... Yeah."

Bishamon rolls his eyes, "She can't even talk straight. Useless."

I feel dizzy. He's mean. This is worse than Katsumo. Definitely worse. This is when Himoto fully takes hold of my wrist, trying to keep me standing. "That's not nice of you to say," Isho-kun says to him, "Can't you tell your scaring her?"

I feel like a stupid princess who can't defend herself, but then again, I really can't say anything. "Whatever," Bishamon brushes Isho-kun's comment off, "Huh little princess? Care to say something in your own defense? Or are you going to let your boyfriends do it for you?"

I can feel myself blushing, "T-they're not my boyfriends."

"Well one of them must be," He snorts, "I mean, look at them, coming to your defense, holding your hands... It's like they wait on you like you're a goddess."

Himoto's grip on my wrist tightens. "What are you here for anyway? Just to bug us? Because if you are, get lost. We have things to do."

Bishamon laughs, "Hah, this one's definitely the boyfriend," He jokes to the other 11. They all agree. Himoto's face turns red, "Aw, look! He's even blushing."

"Could you just go away?" Isho-kun interjects, "If your here for something, please stop wasting our time and get it done with."

"How does a team like... You, get a last chance to get into the grand prix? You're pathetic! You don't deserve anything. Here we all are, old enough to deserve something like this and why are you here? You're obviously not good enough for this, just by the looks of it." Bishamon's voice is rising.

"Now hold on a second!" Himoto let's go of my wrist, "How do you know? You don't know us! You can't judge us on looks!"

"How about you princess?" Bishamon taunts me, "You gonna say anything? Or is your boyfriend going to do everything?"

"He's not my... Ah!" One of them picks me up by the collar. It chokes me, I can't breathe. "I can't..."

"What the hell are you doing?" Himoto yells, "Let her go!"

Bishamon stares him down, "Tighter," he tells the guy holding me.

"Ow!" I wince, "Why..."

I turn my head weakly to look at Himoto, who I have never seen so angry. His eyes are almost red, if looks could kill, Bishamon would be dead. It's like slow motion and kind of blurry from lack of oxygen, but I hear it loud and clear. Himoto hits the guy holding me square in the face. He flinches in reaction and lets go of me. Himoto catches me and helps me stand up straight. I steady my feet on the ground, but he doesn't let go off me. He leaves his arm around me as a protection.

"What is wrong with you?" He yells, "It's a freaking baking competition. It's not like your running to be president!"

"Yet another view of an amateur, any competition is important kid," Bishamon sneers, "Just so you know, you're not going to beat any of us easily. Just watch out."

In a blink of an eye, Bishamon lunges forward and pushes Himoto down. Because he's holding on to me, he loses his balance and we both fall. He twists so that I fall on top of him. "Ka-kun!" Komanda-kun exclaims. Bishamon and his team leaves.

XxXxX

"Himoto!" I gasp, jumping up and off him.

"Ow..." He mutters to himself. It looks like he landed on his wrist.

My eyes widen, I'm not sure what to do. "Are you okay?" I ask hesitantly.

He looks up and rolls his eyes, "Yeah. Of course I am."

I'm not too convinced, as he's still holding onto his wrist and I can see the pain in his eyes. "Well, why are we all standing here?" He snaps finally, as we all stare at him, "We have to work out our grand prix sweet!" He stands up and walks to the counter. "Come on Kashino! Pull it together! We can't let those... idiots, beat us."

"Ka-kun... What about your...?" Komanda-kun tries to say.

But Himoto is too angry and fired up to listen to him, "I'm fine! Okay? We need to get working. I'm not letting people like them beat us! Who do they think they are saying stuff about her... us." He corrects himself.

We all silently go back to work, I glance at Himoto as he sits down so we can talk more about our sweet. We work out a chocolate-strawberry celebration cake, using a recipe from the recipe book Hana-chan gave me long time ago.

Himoto gets up as do I, so we can start working. My heart's beating quickly, not because I'm nervous.

It's just... The whole time we discussed, Himoto didn't let go of his wrist. Not even once.

XxXxX

The next day, it's time for the match. I wait anxiously in the waiting area with Komanda-kun and Isho-kun. Himoto still isn't here. His grand prix outfit isn't here, so he must be getting ready, but it's almost time to start and he's still a no show.

After a few minutes, he shows up. My suspicions raise. He's wearing gloves that you'd wear for winter. It is not that cold in the building. "Himoto...?" I say his name questioningly.

He doesn't look me in the eye. Which is kind of strange. "What?" He asks, fiddling with the glove on his right hand. He pulls it up higher.

"What's with the gloves?" Isho-kun asks bluntly. "You know you can't wear those during the match right?"

"I know that," He snaps. He's been moody ever since fighting with Bishamon. I hope he's okay. I can't take this tension, it's almost time for the round to start and no one is in the right mindset, we're not even in synch with each other.

I get up and come up to him, "Just take them off..." I pull the left one off. Himoto argues and moves his right hand away.

I raise my eyebrows at him, "My right hand is cold," He deadpans, "Seriously."

I'm slightly confused at his attitude, this is not the normal Himoto I'm used to at all. "Come on, it'll warm up, I promise..." I take hold of the glove.

"Ow!" He exclaims impulsively. Himoto flinches and that's when I take the glove off. My eyes widen, his wrist is positively swollen. It's bright red and by the looks of it, I would be surprised if Himoto could even move it.

"H-Himoto!" I stammer, shocked, "What the..."

"It's nothing!" He yells defensively, positioning his arm to be behind his back. "What's the big deal?"

"BIG DEAL?" My mouth drops open, "Can you even MOVE your wrist?"

His eyes leave my gaze and he looks at the ceiling, "It doesn't matter to you, okay?"

"But this is insane, we should tell someone! Bishamon would get in so much trouble for this..." I stumble through my words, trying to make some sense of the situation we're in.

"I'm not telling on him, if that's what you're saying," Himoto insists stubbornly. "We're not that weak, I'm not that weak. We can do this."

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" I think I'm going to go insane. There's no way we can win now, not with our team is such disarray like this...

"Kashino, don't worry. It's fine," Himoto tries to assure me. I usually feel better when he says that, but this is not the case. He's hurt. And I don't know if it's because it's him that I'm so worked up, or that the situation itself is just frustrating. "Come on..." He says, taking hold of my wrist with his good hand, "Believe me."

"I wish I could," I mumble softly. Then someone comes in to get us, the grand prix match is about to start. I've never felt so disoriented in my whole life.

XxXxX

"Welcome to the grand prix wild card match!" Aunt Lemon announces to the crowd, "This batch of teams last chance to make it into the Japan Official Cake Grand Prix!"

The crowd roars happily. I feel dizzy. I'm so nervous. Not to mention Himoto is hurt. It's unsettled me, and I can't find my focus. "It's okay," Himoto whispers in my ear. But I'm too concerned to believe him. It's not okay. He's not okay. If he's not, I'm not.

"You will have 3 hours teams. Good luck!" And Aunt Lemon sends us off to start. Himoto and I have to make a cake together. How do we do that when he can't work his right hand?

I see Himoto get out the different ingredients and utensils using his left hand. "Himoto... What are we going to do?" I ask him, biting on my bottom lip, "There's not much we can do with you injured like that."

"Kashino," He says my name harshly, it sends shivers down my spine. It sounds like how he used to call me when I first met him. "You can't keep worrying about me, there's yourself to worry about. Just do what we've planned. I'll deal with it."

"But I..."

"Trust me."

I agree reluctantly. If only I could say, 'how can I worry about myself at times like this?'

XxXxX

Himoto's job is to do the chocolate of the celebration cake. I'm handling the cake itself and the strawberry component. "Ow!" Himoto hisses to himself from his work space. I glance over from my cake dough. He's trying to temper, but it's hard. He can't move his right hand, so he's trying to move his whole arm. It doesn't work well; his movements are disjointed and sloppy. It is nothing like what I;ve witnessed from him before. Himoto's trying his best, but it really looks like it isn't enough.

I pick up my mixing bowl and attach it to the stationary mixer. "Himoto..."

Isho-kun comes up from behind me to grab something off the counter, "He's too proud Lynne-chan," He whispers in my ear, "You're the only person who can talk him out of this."

"Why?" I ask curiously.

Isho-kun smiles solemnly, "Because you mean something to him."

My heart flutters at his words. "W-what do you mean?"

"You'll see, in time," He mutters, before returning to his workstation.

I take in Isho-kun's words. If I am the only person to get Himoto to back down, I have to do it now. Before it's too late. "Himoto," I say, trying to make my voice urgent and demanding.

He looks up, his eyes show all his misery and annoyance at his task. He's trying so hard, but there's only so much a person can do. "You need to believe in me," I whisper, "I need you to let me do this. Because you can't. Not alone."

He sighs, frustrated, "But... I'm the one who's supposed to be protecting you. Not the other way around."

"Is that what you've been thinking about this whole time?" I ask, my mouth dropping open, "You've done so much already! You're hurt because you were trying not to let me fall. You protected me from Bishamon, you've already done so much."

"It will never be enough," He murmurs softly, "For all you've done." I come beside him and take hold of his right wrist, "Ah... O-ow..." He winces, his eyebrow twitching in pain.

I take the tool out of his hand and hold his arm against his side, "If you won't let me do it myself, I'll do it with you. We're a team, remember? Sure, my Dad told you to protect me, but that doesn't mean you have to do everything alone. I'm here, Isho-kun's here and Komanda-kun's here."

He's silent. Slowly, we work on the tempering together. Himoto says no more, but let's me do all the talking. "You have to believe in me. I know I doubt my own abilities sometimes, but please trust me."

"I... I trust you," He admits finally.

XxXxX

The rest of the match goes on without much problem. After talking to him, Himoto finally agrees to do the easier jobs, like watching the stationary mixer and stirring things on the stove. Suddenly, 3 hours is over. Our sweet looks good. On the plate is a slice of chocolate/strawberry cake with a candy strawberry on top. A hot cup of matcha tea sits beside it.

Since we're the youngest, our sweet is to be served last.

The first team's sweet has the theme of determination. "We want our sweet to reflect our drive, how much we want to win this competition." The leader says.

The judges are happy with it. They seem pleased with the flavours and theme.

After that, the second team has the theme of dreams, saying it is their dream to move on in the competition. I have to be honest, I find the theme kind of cheesy. Apparently, so do the judges. They say the theme is not powerful enough, but the flavours and idea is there.

Lastly is Team Bishamon with the theme of strength. "We're strong," Bishamon says boldly, "And our last match was a fluke. We deserve this last spot. I can't imagine any other team deserving it as much as we do."

I want to smash his face. But I'm obviously not going to do anything. The judges sample their sweet and I wish I could try it myself. I want to see just how good of a patissier Bishamon is.

"It's delectable," One of the judges say slowly, "But... There's something in your sweet that I don't understand."

Bishamon's facial expression wavers for a second, "What do you mean?"

"It's almost as if there's... bitterness and cruelty in your sweets," The judge makes a face, "W-why's that?"

Bishamon seems taken aback, "Why... I can't see why! I'm not a cruel person, neither is anyone on my team."

Though the judges don't seem too happy, they don't say anything more.

"And finally, Team Lynne," Aunt Lemon announces, "Please present your sweet."

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun hand out our dessert. "Tea...?" The judge on the left wonders, staring intently at it.

"Allow me to explain," I say. My hands are shaking, I link them together, to make it seem less obvious. "Our theme is guidance. To prepare for this match, I asked my Mom and Dad to teach us new skills and help us towards our goal of winning today's match."

"Your parents are Kashino Makoto and Kashino-Amano Ichigo," A judge interjects, "Correct?"

I can feel all eyes on me as I answer, "... Yes." There's a stir in the crowd. Yes, the famous couple's daughter is at the school. It's so absolutely amazing. Not really.

"They guided us to learn things we never would have learned on our own, and that's where we came up with our sweet." I gesture to the plate, "Everything in this dessert is to represent a member of Team Ichigo, the very people that helped us develop the skill to put together such a thing. Chocolate/Strawberry celebration cake to represent my parents, candy strawberry garnishes to represent Hanabusa Satsuki, and matcha tea to represent Andou Sennosuke and show the completeness and fullness of this team."

"That's a very challenging theme to give yourselves," One of the judges remarks, "Not to mention you are also only first year students."

"Thank you," I reply, blushing at the comment, "Please enjoy."

The judges sample. I hold my breath. One of the judges swallow, "I've tasted better chocolate from this team before, what happened today?"

It's a harsh blow, to both me and Himoto. I can see him getting agitated. "I'm sorry," He says, trying to contain his anger, "I... I'm injured. So I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

The judge's table stirs, "Injured?"

Himoto holds up his wrist and they look alarmed, "How..." Aunt Lemon asks, "How did you get that?"

"Bishamon shoved me and Kashino over," He deadpans, "I landed on my wrist."

All eyes turn to Bishamon, who's sitting with his team. "What?" He tries to defend himself, "I never..."

"I think we have enough proof," Aunt Lemon narrows her eyes at him. "Himoto-san, I think I would see it fit if we were to disqualify Team Bishamon from the competition. But it's all your decision as it's you who is harmed here."

Himoto sighs, I pull on his sleeve, pleading him not to do anything reckless with my eyes. "I... I honestly don't care anymore." He responds, "If he must play dirty just to win, he's not worth any attention. A guy like that could never make sweets that make people feel joy. So leave him, it's not like anything great is going to happen for him."

The crowd stirs at his words. That's a pretty harsh thing to say. "Very well," Aunt Lemon agrees.

"Overall," Another judges says, "I like the difference in your theme. It is not cliché at all. It's actually very interesting. I like how you took your resources and learned something from the experience. Your dessert was delectable. Well done."

XxXxX

It's time for the scores to go up and I'm so nervous. This is it. This is our very last chance. My heart seems to be beating at 500 beats a second.

The first team's score goes up on the board. 445 is their total score. The crowd goes wild, already, they set a high bar for the rest of the teams.

The second team's score goes up, 439. I look at them and see their faces fall. They've lost. They're score is already lower. Their time is over. I feel sad for them, but at the same time, I'm praying that we've made it through.

Team Bishamon's score is next. They total 441. Bishamon is outraged. Screaming things like, "This can't be possible." And, "This must be a mistake."

No one has beaten the score of the first team yet. "And finally, Team Lynne's score," Aunt Lemon reads off a cue card. It's almost a natural reaction, but I reach for Himoto's hand and he holds it tightly, trying to comfort me. "Taking into account an injury..." Aunt Lemon continues. Himoto holds on tighter, "Total score, 452."

There's a moment of dead silence, as the information sinks in. Then it occurs to me. We did it! We won! I scream excitedly, letting go of Himoto's hand and jumping up and down. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun cheer along with me and we all hug. Himoto stands there awkwardly, I know he doesn't really like physical affection. "Himoto..." I say softly, smiling, "We did it! We're in!"

He smiles back and says, "And we couldn't have done it without you."

"Geez! Stop being so unaffectionate, come join our group hug!"

He laughs and finally joins us, squeezing between me and Komanda-kun. We hold eyes for a second, and this flurry of feelings flashes through me, almost like an electrical spark. I don't know what it is, but I...

"LYNNE-CHAN!" It's Hana-chan, bless her. She's come to every single one of our matches and has cheered us on every time. "You did it! You did it!"

I release myself from my team group hug to give her my own hug, "Thanks so much for being here!" I tell her.

She laughs, "No problem! We are friends after all!"

"Could I have everyone's attention?" Everyone looks to the stage, it's the chairman. The buzz of conversation tapers off before stopping. "I have information to share about the Cake Grand Prix. We're doing things a little... different this year."

"Different?" Komanda-kun repeats.

"Usually, after the middle school grand prix is over, we go straight into the official grand prix, but we are not doing that this year. We are waiting until next year to start."

The crowd murmurs. "Why?" Someone asks.

"The middle school teams compete because we need to know who's actually serious to participate. But now, even the high school teams are being lazy. We've found a way to fix it. Our resolution is called reputation points."

What are reputation points? I've never heard of anything like that at all. I look at Isho-kun and he shrugs. He has no idea what they are either. "Reputation points will be handed out to teams for their participation in many different things," The chairman continues, "Many of the teachers and selected others are certified to hand out reputation points. How they choose to hand them out is all up to them. They could reward a team for doing something specifically for them, or hold a competition."

That's so weird and different. But it sounds easy enough, although I wonder what the catch is. "As of now, with the middle school teams entering the grand prix there are 26 teams up for the running in the grand prix. By next year, the 10 teams with the lowest sum of reputation points will be cut off," The chairman says bluntly, "Leaving the grand prix to start with 16 teams."

That's the most teams I've ever heard of being cut at once. "Woah," Isho-kun breathes, "That's a lot of pressure."

"Sure is," Komanda-kun agrees. Himoto doesn't say anything.

"It doesn't matter, we have to work hard from now until the end," I assure them, "We've done so much to get ourselves into the grand prix. We can't back down now."

"Right," Himoto agrees.

"So let's work hard and add up those reputation points!" I cheer.

The sweet princes cheer as well. This is only the beginning. I can't imagine how much more difficult the rest of the competition will be. But I'm willing to take it. And I know Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and Himoto will be with me the whole way.

Excited and motivated, we leave the match together, ready to tackle our hardest challenges yet.

* * *

**Me: I'm going to guess you're not going to thank people for reviewing either...**

**Lynne: Probably not. Unless I feel like it~ Hehe.**

**Me: Please? :)**

**Lynne: Fine. Mikashi would like to thank everyone for reviewing. And I would like to say, "Thank you for reading about me!"**

**Me: *Sigh* of course, you are just like me... I'd like everyone to listen up for this, as most of you know, you can ask me questions on tumblr! But I'm convincing Lynne to answer questions too.**

**Lynne: I guess I will. ;)**

**Me: So just go on tumblr and start your question off with "Dear Lynne" and I'll get her to answer.**

**Lynne: You do realize I'm fictional, right?**

**Me: But this is fun! Plus, a character is not exciting if it's like they're not real.**

**Lynne: True.**

**Me: So anybody, if you have questions for Lynne... Ask away! We'll see you on tumblr! :D**

**THANKS FOR REVIEWING,**

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**OMG GUYS. THIS IS THE MOST REVIEWS I'VE EVER HAD FOR THIS STORY. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO FREAKING MUCH :***

**Love and Joy,**

**~Mikashi-chan**

**(And Lynne-chan! :D)**


	18. Arguments, The Friendship Test!

**Me: Hi guys! I met my goal, to publish another chapter before Christmas. YAY! I don't have much time, so that's it. :)**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 18: Arguments, The Friendship Test

The day after the grand prix match, we're all in class like usual. I really don't like French class. But I guess I have to deal with it. It's my dream to win the grand prix and go to Paris, so I'm going to have to know French.

I tap my pencil on the desk casually, really unaware as to what I'm doing. Himoto winces from beside me, before slamming my pencil down. I look up, startled. "I couldn't help it," He says finally, "That... _tapping _is so annoying."

I laugh and wiggle the pencil out from under his hand, "Okay, okay. I'm sorry." Our French teacher gives us a glare from his desk, Himoto and I speak quieter.

"We need to start practising for the grand prix," Himoto says.

The grand prix doesn't start until the New Year. I don't want to think about it right now. Himoto's wrist is still recovering and we've just been completely stressed with the middle school grand prix. I want to take a break. Even just a little one.

"Do we have to?" I whine slightly.

"What kind of response is that team leader?" He answers somewhat sourly. I would say more, but he's gone back to his French work. Never mind. I'll tell him later.

XxXxX

The sweet princes and I meet in the kitchens after school, almost immediately as I arrive, Himoto asks again, "What kind of response was that team leader?"

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun look at me, it seems as though Himoto has already told them what happened. "Well... It's not exactly like that," I say slowly, trying to choose the right words, "It's just that after the middle school grand prix, I feel we could use a break. After all, not having a grand prix match looming over us is a huge weight off our shoulders, why not take a little break. Even just a few days."

Himoto sighs irritably, "That's the kind of thinking losers have."

"Excuse me?" I ask, appalled. That stung. I'm not a loser. I'm just so tired of dealing with stress.

"If you let your guard down, someone will get in and destroy you." Himoto tells me, "And then it's over for us."

"He has a fair point," Komanda-kun interjects, "But Ka-kun, you also have to think of the pressures there are as team leader, it's much more stressful as everyone hold you responsible..."

"But she has to deal with it," Himoto argues, "Otherwise, how will she improve?" He looks me dead in the eye, "You'll never get stronger if you constantly skirt away from a fight."

My cheeks turn red, "I'm not running away from a fight! I'm not a coward; I'm just saying that a break would be good for all of us!"

Fraise pops out of my shirt pocket, "She's right you know. I mean, your right hand is still healing, if you keep forcing it, it'll never get better."

It's Himoto's turn to blush, "S-shut up! I deal with my own problems thank you. It's none of your business."

Fraise's face scrunches up, "I'm only trying to suggest what's good for you Himoto-kun..."

Kumquat pops out, "Yeah, well who said we needed you? Himoto is capable of thinking for himself anyway." She tosses her hair behind her, "Besides, you and Lynne are only fighting for a break because you are L. A. Z. Y. LAZY."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Fraise yells angrily. The two float toward each other and began rattling off different insults at each other.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Himoto tells me sarcastically, "But I have to agree with Kumquat, you're just being lazy Kashino."

My jaw drops, "I'm not! Do you really think that of me? I'm not that weak!"

"Maybe you are," Himoto retorts, "After all, we constantly need to protect you. If you were so strong, why would you need us?"

That's a low blow. Okay, so maybe I do have low self-confidence and I'm easily intimidated, but that doesn't mean I'm weak. Yeah, I need their support to keep moving, but that doesn't mean I rely on them. "You've asked for it Himoto!" I exclaim bitterly, "Who said I needed you? I'm the one who comes up with all the creative ideas. I'm the one who helps you when you're down. In fact..." Words are coming out of my mouth before I can stop them, "I don't need you! I'm fine by myself! Who said I needed a devil to follow me around like I'm a handicapped princess? Maybe I don't care if you just get out of my life! Why are we friends anyway? Why would I want to be friends with someone like you?!"

His reaction is not what I expected. He kind of looks hurt and takes a step back. "I-"

"TAKE THAT BACK!" Kumquat screeches over all the noise. She summons her fork and angrily hits Fraise with it.

"OW!" Fraise responds, "Take that back you evil spirit!"

"Me? The evil spirit?" Kumquat exclaims bitterly. They clash their fork and spoon together. With one powerful clang that echoes through the room, their magic explodes everywhere.

I scream as the room turns bright white.

XxXxX

And then I'm falling. Everything is dark even with my eyes open. I fumble around for anything to hold onto, but there is nothing but me and the wind.

_Thud._

I land on the ground. "Ow..." I groan, sitting up and rubbing my head. I look around. I'm in a train. "What...? Where am I?"

There is a scream before something promptly falls on top of me, squishing me to the floor once again. "L-Lynne-chan?!" It's Isho-kun. He jumps off me and helps me up, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." I answer, "W-where's everyone else?"

As soon as I say it, two more people drop down into the train. Komanda-kun and Himoto. It finally occurs to me that we've all shrunken in size. Everyone looks different, not only are we sweet spirit sized, our cheeks are chubbier, our eyes are bigger... In fact, we look like sweet spirits.

"Where are we?" I say.

"This is the sweets kingdom." I turn around, Fraise is behind me, laughing nervously, "It seems that in our fight, Kumquat and I accidentally got everyone sucked into the sweets kingdom..."

My first reaction is, "FRAISE? YOU'RE SO BIG!"

Her left eye twitches, "We're the same size! Unless you are implying that you are also... big. I would say you should stop right now!"

Komanda-kun speaks up, "So, what're we going to do?"

Kumquat huffs from beside Fraise, "I was going to the sweets kingdom today, but that didn't mean I wanted to bring all of you." She talks with annoyance. I don't see why this is so bad.

"What're we going to do?" I repeat to Komanda-kun, "We're in the sweets kingdom! We can do anything! This is so cool!"

Fraise grabs me by the wrist, "No, hold on. Humans aren't allowed in the sweets kingdom without permission from the queen. I could get in serious trouble for this!"

Kumquat agrees, "As much as I usually disagree with Fraise, it's true. We could both get into big trouble with the queen is you stay."

"Oh come on!" I whine, "Please? We just won't let anyone know."

Fraise exchanges glances with Kumquat, "Oh come on Kumquat, I don't see the harm..."

"No!" She argues, "I'm not letting them come with us. That'd be embarrassing!"

"We were just going to your parents' house..." Fraise murmurs awkwardly, "I don't see how that would be embarrassing..."

"BECAUSE HER!" Kumquat points at me, "I don't want my Mom to..."

"Wait, you're going to see your parents?" I ask excitedly. Kumquat is Chocolat's daughter, who is also my father's partner; it'd be a great way to know what's happening back at home. "Can we please come? PLEASE?"

Kumquat sighs, hard-headed, "No."

"Come on Kumquat, have a heart!" Fraise exclaims.

"We promise not to embarrass you," Isho-kun adds.

She sighs deeply, before finally agreeing, "Alright." I cheer, but then she glares at me, "I swear, do anything stupid and I'll personally kill you."

XxXxX

Throughout the train ride, I can tell Himoto doesn't want to talk to me. That's fine. I don't want to talk to him either. I sit with Isho-kun while he sits with Komanda-kun. It's weird though, usually I sit with him, so this is strange. Isho-kun makes the effort to talk to me, yet it doesn't feel the same. I don't know why it should matter though. They are all my friends.

"Are you okay Lynne-chan?" Isho-kun asks me finally. I haven't smiled or laughed at anything he's said. Actually, I haven't heard what he's said.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply half-heartedly. "It's just..."

He glances at where I'm looking. Sighing, he says, "You and Himoto got into a pretty big fight."

"I know that," I reply, tearing my gaze away and looking out the window.

"You said some pretty mean things," Isho-kun continues.

I stare pointedly at the scenery. "So did he."

"I'm pretty sure you hurt him Lynne-chan," Isho-kun tries.

"He hurt me too," I reply stubbornly.

"But..."

"I don't want to talk about it. Just leave it alone, okay?"

He sighs, but doesn't push me any further. I like that about him. "Okay Lynne-chan. I'm sorry."

XxXxX

After a while, Kumquat tells us that it's time to get off the train. As we all disembark, Himoto continues to avoid me. I'm fine with that. I don't need him anyway. I walk with Isho-kun and we talk about fun light things. I never get to be fun around Himoto, all he does is criticize. He's walking with Komanda-kun.

Fraise and Kumquat walk between all of us, Komanda-kun and Himoto on their left, Isho-kun and I on their right. I think they can sense the tension, but they aren't going to say anything.

"Where are we going?" I ask Fraise. It doesn't seem like we're going anywhere. I expected the sweets kingdom to be this enormous European like city. At least, that's how Fraise explained it to me once. All I see are trees and fields and we're walking on the old worn dirt path.

"We're going to where Chocolat and Kasshi live," Fraise replies, "They live out in the country, on the farm."

The thought of princess like Kumquat growing up on a farm makes me smile. That's hilarious, maybe that's why she tries so hard to be classy.

Soon, I see a little house appear over the fields. It looks homey, with little puffs of smoke chugging out of the chimney. The house is made of what looks like cobblestone and is decorated with red siding. The door opens and I see someone I thought was just a part of my imagination.

Chocolat, my father's sweet spirit. Back before I knew what sweet spirits were, I'd see this little fairy thing floating alongside my Dad as he worked. As I grew up, I figured it was just a figment of my imagination, but after what Fraise and Kumquat have said before, it turn out she's real.

The way Chocolat hold herself together is remarkable. Her long brown hair is now tied back in a bun, out of her face. She looks older than she did when I was small. She wears the same dress as before, a brown and red ruffles dress. She smiles as she sees Kumquat approaching, and then her brows crinkle in confusion as she sees who else is coming.

She flies over and meets us halfway, "Kumquat!" She murmurs motherly, giving her daughter a hug, "I've missed you."

Kumquat blushes at this, "Mom... That's embarrassing!"

"Who have you brought with you?" Chocolat asks, "Hi Fraise," she greets warmly, "Who are the rest of you?"

"You don't recognize me?" I blurt out, before thinking it through.

Chocolat eyes me suspiciously and at my back, which lacks the presence of wings, "You're a human... And an awfully familiar one at that..."

"I'm Lynne!" I exclaim, a little surprised she can't tell. Do I really look that different in sweet spirit size?

Chocolat's eyes widen slightly, "Lynne? What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story," Kumquat brushes the story off, "It's not important. All I know is she begged me to take her here to see you."

"I didn't beg," I mumble softly, "But... I would like to ask, how... How's my Dad?"

Chocolat smiles, according to Fraise, Chocolat used to have a very fiery temper. She must have calmed down with age. "He's well. But he misses you so much... It's the only thing he talks about, besides your mother of course."

Sometimes I feel bad that I'm not at home. I miss my family so much, but I wonder sometimes if they miss me more. "Is anything interesting happening?"

Chocolat shrugs, "Not really, same old busy business. How about we talk about this inside? I bet Kasshi would love to meet you." She looks at the sweet princes who really have said nothing, "I would presume these are your team mates? Come along."

She guides us inside and lets us sit at the kitchen table. Sauntering into the kitchen, she asks, "I'm going to make some tea, would you like any?"

"Geez Chocolat, it's our anniversary, why give yourself more work?" At the doorway is Kasshi. I'm surprised by how much he looks like my own Dad. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he was my Dad.

To my surprise, Chocolat starts blushing, "Oh come on! They are here to see us, might as well be hospitable."

He sighs deeply before coming to us at the table. Kasshi ruffles Kumquat's hair, even as she squeaks with displeasure, "Hello. Welcome to my house. Sorry for that, I'm not good at having people over..."

Himoto snorts, but tries to cover it up by coughing. Kasshi glares at him before giving up, "So... Thanks for being here. I guess."

Chocolat comes in from the kitchen with a teapot. "Kumquat told us she was coming, but she didn't tell us she was going to bring company!"

"I wasn't planning on bringing them!" Kumquat replies sourly.

"Kumquat, be nice!" Chocolat scolds, "As you might know, it's mine and Kasshi's anniversary, I'm glad you could be here."

"That's so cute!" I gush happily, "We're you going to do anything fun?"

"Nothing really," Chocolat says, "I was going to make something, but I realized we don't have much to use... I forgot the only flavour ingredient we have are yams."

Kasshi laughs, "And what kind of sweet can you make with yams?"

I have an idea. Loosely. Maybe I could do something...

"I could make a sweet for you guys," I say finally, "After all, you're letting us into your home, it's the least I can do."

"Oh no Lynne, relax!" Chocolat waves me off, "It's perfectly fine, I think I might have some cakes I bought from the market a while ago..."

"No seriously," I respond, "I have an idea."

"They said they didn't want you to," Himoto cuts in irritably, "Can't you just listen for once?"

That hurts a little bit. But that makes me all the angrier. Who does he think he is? This is none of his business. "Chocolat, you're always helping my Dad," I continue, glaring at Himoto, almost telling him to back off, "I want to help you out now."

Chocolat smiles, "I guess if you would like to, you can. But what kind of cake can you make from yams?"

I laugh, "I've got a few tricks up my sleeves."

XxXxX

I get Isho-kun and Komanda-kun to help me. Himoto is there too, but I don't care. "So what are you planning Lynne?" Isho-kun asks me, "I've never heard of a cake that uses yams."

I pick up the yams that Chocolat left out for us. We got her and Kasshi out of the house for a walk while we prepare. Just as I hoped, the yams she has are purple yams. It's just what I needed to make this work. "When I was little," I tell him, "I went to this Filipino restaurant with my parents."

"Filipino?" Chimes in Komanda-kun, "Like, culture from the Philippines?"

"Yeah," I answer, "It was a great experience, but I remember the cake my parents ordered for dessert. They called it an ube cake."

"What's an ube cake?" Isho-kun asks.

"I'm not really sure," I reply, "But it was a purple cake, which was one of the strangest things I've ever seen. It was so strange, Dylan almost didn't eat it. It was really good though. It's made with purple yams."

"So that's why you were so insistent you could make a dessert with yams," Komanda-kun realizes.

I nod, "I don't know exactly how to make it, but I figured it was worth a shot."

"This is stupid," Himoto finally mutters sourly. He's got a scowl on his face and he seems almost distant. Almost like the person I first met and that was over a month ago.

I don't know whether I'm still mad at him or not. It feels weird that he's not on my side. He's always been willing to support me since the grand prix started. It doesn't feel right. "But-" I try to say, but Himoto cuts me off.

"Do you really want me to help Kashino?" He asks bitterly, emphasizing my name so menacingly, I flinch, "After all, you don't want to even be friends, so..."

And that's when what I said to him finally sinks into my head. I said I didn't need him. I said I wanted him out of my life. I said lots of mean things, and what strikes me the most is I said I didn't want to be friends. Why did I say that? I...

"That's..." I stumble with words. I don't know what to say. I want to say I'm sorry, but it's not coming out. I'm frozen.

"Whatever," He grumbles, turning away and stalking out of the room, "I don't need you either."

That hits me hard. Almost as if someone punched me in the stomach. I want to throw up. What have I done to our friendship? I've just gone and messed everything up.

"Hey," Isho-kun whispers in my ear, "It's okay, just let him cool off."

I want to pass out. Or go to sleep. Or something. I just want to get out of this nightmare I've created for myself. Isho-kun leads me to the counter, so I can hold onto it. He can tell something is wrong. "So what do you want to do first?" He asks gently.

Komanda-kun also tries to comfort me, "It's alright Kashino-chan, he's just angry, he'll calm down soon."

"O-okay," I stammer, feeling incredibly dizzy, "Let's start with... Uh... With..."

"How about measuring out the dry ingredients?" Isho-kun asks me.

"Y-yeah, with that."

XxXxX

No matter how much Isho-kun and Komanda-kun try to make me feel better, it doesn't work. I'm so upset. I can't believe what I've done. This is all my fault. I'm not mad anymore. I'm just so horribly upset with myself.

I don't like how it feels baking without Himoto. He's one of my best friends, I can't stand it. I never realized how important his presence is to me. I never noticed because I just assumed he would always be there. I didn't realize how important his support is.

I'm not really paying attention to what I'm doing. I know Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are extremely worried about me. I can hear Himoto pacing in the other room. I wonder if he's angry or if he's upset like me.

Komanda-kun sighs and takes my materials away. I stare at him, confused. "You need to talk to him," He tells me.

"No I don't," I reply stubbornly. Yes I do. Yes I do. But I'm not going to admit it.

"Yes, you do," Komanda-kun insists, "And he needs to talk to you too."

"But... What if he doesn't want to talk to me?" I ask finally, my throat feeling dry, "What if he tells me to go away?"

"Ka-kun would never want to hurt you that bad," Komanda-kun assures me, "He's just never been good with handling his emotions."

"Are you sure?" I ask hesitantly again, although I know I'm already going to do it.

"Very," Komanda-kun gives me a supportive push toward the door, "Now go."

XxXxX

I walk into the room feeling extremely nervous. Himoto is standing by the window, looking at the fields nearby. He doesn't notice me come in. Or at least, he makes no signs of noticing.

"Um..." I murmur. My throat is so dry, I feel like I can't talk.

He turns around, almost surprised to see me. There is this sort of longing in his eyes, but it's immediately masked by anger. "What?" He asks coldly.

"C-can we talk?" I ask finally.

He sighs, as if contemplating. I'm almost afraid he'll say no, but he finally nods and I breathe relieved. I sit down beside him. Not too close, or maybe not as close as usual.

"What is it?" He asks, turning his gaze back to the window.

"A-about what I said earlier... I... I didn't mean it," I stammer stupidly, "I was angry... I let my emotions get the best of me. I didn't mean any of it. Really. I would never..."

"You really are stupid aren't you?" He replies. I flinch, thinking he's angry, but I realize he means it as a joke, "I guess... It just sort of hurt to hear it. Because... We are friends right? I thought you didn't want to be friends anymore, because you'd found someone better. And I never thought you'd be someone like that."

"I'm not," I ramble, "I wouldn't just give up on friends because I'd found someone better... It's not like anyone could be better than..." I blush. I was going to say, 'It's not like anyone could be better than you', but I figure that would sound weird.

He sighs deeply, "I guess I'm just insecure about friendship," Himoto admits finally, "My worst fear in life is that people will realize what an idiot I am."

"You're not an idiot," I interject.

"Whatever, I'm just afraid one day people will leave. I don't know, it's stupid..."

"It's not stupid, it's understandable," I tell him.

"When you said you didn't know why we were friends... I figured I lost your friendship and I was so... Angry. It was misdirected though. I was mad at myself for letting it happen, but I channelled all those feelings out on you."

"Himoto..." I murmur quietly.

"I'm sorry, part of this mess is my fault," He says finally, "We should both be saying sorry. Not just you."

"I'm sorry," I hiccup, feeling that weird feeling in my eyes. I'm going to cry. I can't cry. To cry over something like this...

"You shouldn't be," That's when he reaches forward and gives me a hug.

That's when the tears pool into my eyes. I'm so glad. He's still my friend. He doesn't hate me. I feel reassured. His body is warm and makes me instantly feel better. There's this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I'm not really sure what it is.

"Do you need help with that cake your making?" Himoto asks finally, pulling away from me.

I had almost forgotten about the cake. I feel so stupid. "Um... Sure."

He stands up and extends his hand to help me up, "And it's not a stupid idea. I think it's pretty resourceful."

I blush, "T-thanks."

XxXxX

Without further problems, we finish the cake. It's a gorgeous ube cake. I finally got a proper recipe from Fraise, who searched it up. It's a deep shade of purple and has purple butter cream frosting. I just hope that Chocolat and Kasshi like it.

We sit in the living room waiting for them to return from their walk. "They're here!" Fraise exclaims, looking through the window. Kumquat jumps up to hide that cake with a cover.

Chocolate and Kasshi come in and we greet them, "Happy Anniversary!" I cheer, "And many more years together!"

Chocolat blushes at all the attention her love life is getting, "You guys are too much, honestly."

Kumquat then lifts the cover off the cake and it's almost as if Chocolat is going to cry, "You actually made a cake using yams! That's amazing." She stares intently at its purple shade, "What kind of cake is it?"

"It's a Filipino cake called an ube cake," I tell her, "I really hope you two like it."

"It's so pretty, I actually don't want to eat it..." Chocolat admits sheepishly.

"Oh come of it Chocolat!" Kasshi exclaims, already retrieving the cake knife from the kitchen, "They made it for us, we have to eat it."

He cuts into the cake and takes out a piece. Coming toward her, he extends a forkful of cake at her, "Open up Cocoa!"

Chocolat blushes, I would guess that's his embarrassing nickname for her. She complies though, and chews thoughtfully, "This is amazing!" She exclaims finally, "I love it."

She grabs the fork from Kasshi's hand and feeds him a piece herself, "It is!" Kasshi agrees, with his mouth full.

Chocolat smiles, "Thanks for everything." She reaches into her pocket, "I really think you deserve this..."

She hands me a slip of paper, as I unfold it I ask, "What is it?"

And then I see the words written on the paper, "I, Chocolat, a sweet spirit certified to hand out reputation points, hereby award Team Lynne with 10 reputation points for their cake making skills and resourcefulness."

I gasp, while the sweet princes crowd around me to also see what the paper says. "It's the most I can give you," Chocolat admits sheepishly, "The sweets kingdom is closely tied to the grand prix events, many sweet spirits are also able to give out reputation points. In fact, as far as I know, these are the first reputation points given out."

"S-seriously?" I stammer, super excited.

"Just give it to Lemon-chan, she'll take the paper and cash in reputation points for you," Chocolat smiles, "Good luck in the competition."

I'm so stunned, "T-thank you!" I say finally.

"Now off you go, before someone realizes you guys are here without permission," Chocolat lowers her voice. I laugh as I remember that we're technically not supposed to be here.

We leave a little bit after and walk back to the train station. Fraise and Kumquat get us back into the kitchen room and I'm still holding the slip of paper. It sort of feels like a dream. The reality of the reputation points system is starting to sink in. This is it.

And there's more pressure than ever.

* * *

**I hoped you liked it!**

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	19. Reputation Points, Halloween Event?

**Me: YO GUYS. I'M BACK! :D**

**Kashino: FINALLY. Why the hell did it take so long to make this? It's not even that long!**

**Me: O_O. It's 4k! I think that's pretty good.**

**Ichigo: He's just impatient. :P**

**Me: Guys, I'm super sorry this story hasn't been updated in so long. But here it is! I hope you love it.**

**Just a note. I planned MJMS in advance. I was hoping that I'd be getting chapters done at the same pace the year is going. I was hoping to get this far in October. Awks. That obviously didn't work. So here's a 'Halloween'ish sort of chapter... In January. LOL.**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story 

Chapter 19: Reputation Points, Halloween Event?

The days continue to pass without much else and before I know it, it's the end of October. I hate the end of October.

It's Halloween time. And every year, no matter how old I get, I'm still scared out of my mind. Because of that, I never went out for Halloween. I did when I was little, before I really cared, but after that. Absolutely not. My mom would dress me in those little kid costumes, but I never went out for candy. Being the nice older brother he is, Michael would go out and give me some. That's that.

Now, with the scary decorations flung all across the St. Marie campus, I wish I was at home. I want my Mom and Dad here. Because honestly, I'm starting to have nightmares. It's starting to show, I'm constantly exhausted.

The sweet princes must have noticed too. "Lynne-chan?"

I shoot upward, "WHAT?" I ask, slightly alarmed. I look around, I'm in Science class. Everyone is having independent study. I get a few weird looks, but not much else.

"You fell asleep..." Himoto sighs, "Why the hell are you so tired all the time?"

My cheeks turn red. I'm not admitting I'm scared of Halloween. That's just embarrassing. "I don't get much sleep, I guess." I reply cautiously.

Komanda-kun frowns, "It's getting slightly concerning Lynne-chan, you haven't been yourself lately."

I sigh, "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'll try to sleep earlier tonight." After that, no one really brings the topic back up.

XxXxX

Later in the day, I stumble into culinary class, totally exhausted. At least this is the last class of the day. After that, I think I might take a nap or something... "Kashino."

I turn around, Himoto is behind me, "What?" I ask him. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are nowhere to be found. "Where are Isho-kun and Komanda-kun?"

"Sensei sent them to get something," Himoto replies easily, "I want to ask you something."

"What is it?" I ask with a yawn, sitting down at our station. Himoto sits beside me, I find myself leaning toward him, almost as a resting place. My head leans against his shoulder, he flinches slightly, but doesn't jerk away.

"I want an honest answer. Why are you so tired?"

I don't want to tell him. How do you bring up something casually anyway? Oh yeah, I'm having nightmares so I can barely sleep at night? I'll sound so dumb.

"It's nothing," I respond finally, not sure what else to say.

"Damn it, I know it's not nothing, what is it?" Himoto presses on. I really don't think he'll take no for an answer.

"I'm having nightmares okay?" I grumble finally, "They keep me up at night. I hate Halloween."

Himoto sighs, "Geez. Why don't you just say so?"

"Because I don't like admitting I'm weak, but you make me anyway. So I guess it doesn't really matter."

"Don't be like that Kashino," He argues, "I've got something that can help you."

I lift my heavy head off of his shoulder, "What would that be?"

He sighs, "I'll give it to you later."

"Well why bring it up now?" I ask, slightly annoyed. I had to waste energy sitting up. That's not fair.

Shrugging, he responds, "I don't know. I just thought I might say it now, before you forget."

"Fine. Whatever," I sigh, before leaning back on him.

XxXxX

After a while, Aunt Lemon starts our lesson. I've stopped leaning on Himoto since Isho-kun and Komanda-kun came back. I don't want them to think weird things. For the day's lesson, we have a review lesson on shortbread cookies, but other than that, the class itself is pretty boring.

We're all packing up and leaving when Aunt Lemon makes one last announcement. "Hold on guys, I've got something I'd like to say."

The class stops to look at her, "As you know Team Lynne is part of the competitors in the grand prix, and they are our A Group, so I'd like to give them a chance to get a round of applause for representing their class so well."

There is a smatter of applause. Nothing too special. Anything more would have me feel awkward. "I'm sure you've all heard about the reputation points, yes?"

A few people say yes, some people just nod their heads. "I'd like to make the announcement that I will be running a reputation points event for this Halloween. There is going to be a Halloween Sweets Festival at St. Marie on October 31st. Any teams in the grand prix are free to participate in selling a sweet. Top earners will win reputation points. It is simple really, you must make a Halloween decorated treat and serve it to all those who choose to come. I'm very sure Team Lynne would love the support of their classmates, so please try and come out to the event. That's all." People murmur quick good lucks to us, before streaming out of the classroom.

Aunt Lemon tells me that the signup sheet is on the High School kitchens' door. So the sweet princes and I head over there. After signing up, we must decide what we're going to make, since the event isn't too far away. There goes my nap.

"So what do you guys want to make?" I ask, half aware of what I'm saying.

Komanda-kun is the first to speak, "Well, it should be something kid friendly. I assume a lot of parents are going to take their kids to the event."

"True," Isho-kun agrees, "But then it should also suit to the adults who bring their kids. They are the ones with the money after all."

"It also has to be something easy to make, since we have to make a lot of them," Himoto says. All of them look to me, as if awaiting my approval.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Sure. I agree." I stammer, rubbing at my eyes.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun look at me with concern, "Are you alright Kashino-chan?" Komanda-kun asks me.

"I'm fine," I reply stubbornly. "I agree with all your ideas," I try to sound more firm, "But how do we make something like that?"

"I think we should make some sort of cookie," Himoto contributes, "We just had a lesson on them. They're really easy to bake and decorate. Plus, we can make different flavours to attract kids and adults alike."

"That sounds like a great idea!" I say enthusiastically, "Let's do that then!"

"What kind of cookies were you thinking of Ka-kun?" Komanda-kun asks.

"I thought maybe chocolate coffee sort of flavour for adults," He responds. "But I'm not sure about what kinds of flavours kids will want."

"Sugar!" I respond instantly. All of them look at me, raising their eyebrows. "Kids don't have very developed taste buds you know? Sugar cookies are what they like best."

Isho-kun nods, "That's very true, good observation Lynne-chan."

I smile, "Thank you! Alright, so we can make chocolate mocha shortbread cookies for adults and sugar cookies for kids. How do we decorate them in the spirit of Halloween?" I don't want to do anything scary. I'm having enough nightmares already.

"How about something simple," Isho-kun suggests, "Like fondant?"

"We could do things like pumpkins and little ghosts," Komanda-kun agrees, building onto the idea.

That sounds fun. It's not scary anyway, so that's a huge relief off my shoulders. "That sounds great. So we all agree on this?"

"Agreed," The sweet princes respond.

XxXxX

For the rest of the evening, we work on different recipes for the cookies. We can't just use any recipe for the grand prix. They have to be good, or else no one will buy them. Likewise, we can't sell ugly looking cookies, no matter how good they taste no one will buy them if they look bad.

Isho-kun and I work on making the sugar cookies while Komanda-kun and Himoto work on the chocolate mocha shortbread.

Sugar cookies are fairly simple to make. They may be the easiest cookie ever. All that you need is unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. To make almost any sweet, you use the creaming method. It is the method for creaming together butter and sugar before adding anything else. In a typical cookie recipe, what they do is cream the butter and sugar together, whisk the eggs and vanilla and sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Isho-kun and I do just that. Isho-kun creams the butter and sugar and I do the egg mixture and sift the dry ingredients.

After the butter is creamed, you add the egg mixture in and mix slowly. Creaming the butter and sugar allows air pockets to form, which will make your pastry light and airy and not dense. If you mix the eggs in too quickly, the air bubbles will collapse.

When the eggs are incorporated, the dry ingredients are added. You add them in bit by bit very slowly, again to make sure the air bubbles won't crumble.

That's basically it. Himoto is very right. Cookies are one of the simplest things to make. Even the chocolate mocha shortbread, the only difference is that you also add cocoa powder, coffee powder and chocolate.

Isho-kun and I cover our batter and store it in the freezer to chill it overnight. Cookie dough needs to be firm when you roll it out, so chilling it ensures that. Keeping it in the freezer also preserves it, while putting it in the refrigerator would just dry it out.

When we finish everything, the sun is just beginning to set. I let out another long yawn. I'm so tired, but the darkness that's slowly creeping in is starting to make me feel unsettled. I think Himoto senses my tension, because he says, "Kashino, I'm just reminding you that I have something to give you."

"Oh right," I say. I've almost completely forgotten about it. We all leave the kitchen and begin walking back to the dorm. I follow them because whatever Himoto wants to give me is in his room. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun say good night to me and head out for the evening.

"I'll be right back," Himoto says awkwardly, running into the boys' dorm, leaving me to stand outside.

He comes back with his hands behind his back, his cheeks slightly red. It must be from running to his room and back. "Here," He shoves something into my hands and I fumble to keep hold of it.

"What is it?" I ask. I look over it. It's a little plush toy. It kind of surprises me, because I never expected Himoto have something like this. It's pale blue and looks really worn out. It must be old. It's a little puppy, with dark blue floppy ears and a cute little smile. "Aw, this is so cute!" I coo.

Himoto turns more red, "W-well... It... When my parents... When they were gone, I got a lot of nightmares too. About storms. They freaked me out so much..." He's trying his best not to stutter, but it really can't be helped. "My mom got that for me when I was really small. So, it always helped me feel better when I woke up from a nightmare... I've kept it on my bedside until now. You can have it... Since you've been getting nightmares."

He's being serious. "Oh Himoto... That's... That's so nice of you!" I say finally. I don't know what else I can say.

"Yeah... Okay..." He looks away, rubbing his cheeks with the back of his hand, "J-just don't tell anyone about it. It's... It's embarrassing."

I giggle, holding the stuffed animal closer to me, "I won't tell anyone."

"Okay..." He murmurs. Hesitating for a second, he bits on his lip before saying, "Not get some sleep Kashino. I don't need to deal with a sleep deprived idiot tomorrow."

Just when I thought he could be nice... "Alright. Good night."

XxXxX

I'm happy to say, I didn't have nightmares at night. The presence of that simple stuffed animal seemed to have done the trick, taking the place that usually my Mom and Dad would have. I come into class the next day cheerful and ready to work.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are pleased to see me back to my normal self, all Himoto says is, "Man, back to normal over-hyper Kashino."

After class, we take out the cookie dough we made yesterday. Rolling it out and cutting out the cookies, we put them on an ungreased cookie sheet to bake for 6-10 minutes at 350 degrees. The nice thing about cookies is how quickly they bake; it's a great kind of sweet to sell. If you run out, you can quickly make more.

When the cookies come out of the oven, we let them cool before covering the tops with fondant. We first layer it with white fondant, to give it a blank canvas, and then we all decorate a quarter of the cookies. Mine are little cute ghosts, made of silver fondant with different kinds of smiley faces. Komanda-kun's are pumpkins made with orange fondant and green fondant stems. Isho-kun is the best at decorating, so he makes little chibi vampires on his cookies. Himoto's are skeletons made with little pieces of fondant, nothing to scary to freak me out though.

"They look so fun!" I chirp happily, "This is great!"

XxXxX

Before I know it, it's October 31st. My happy attitude is back, since the nightmares took a one way trip to destruction. Just for the sake of Halloween, I wear Halloween colours. It'll look good with our booth too, so that's a plus. I choose orange coloured jeans and a black shirt. I pull my blonde hair up in a bun and disembark to the reputation point event.

The event is being held just outside the main building. Our booth is located near the fountain. Many other teams have set up their sweet booths, already decorating them using different techniques to attract customers. The sweet princes are already there. Isho-kun is standing on top of a step ladder, taping orange streamers to the roof of our little wooden booth. Himoto and Komanda-kun are starting to put out the cookies.

They are all dressed in orange and black as well. Typical black jeans and orange sweaters and hoodies. "Hi Lynne-chan!" Isho-kun waves at me, "You look nice."

"Thanks!" I reply. Going around the step ladder, I squeeze beside Himoto and Komanda-kun and help them get the cookies on display, "They look so cute!"

"Especially yours Kashino-chan," Komanda-kun compliments.

I wonder why they are all complimenting me today. It's kind of weird. Himoto says nothing though, continuing his work. He's wearing a T-shirt sleeved hoodie that is dark orange. I watch how he moves as he picks up the boxes of cookies we've made and places them on the counter. He looks at me for a moment, and then I realize I've been staring at him. "...What?" He asks.

My cheeks turn red, "N-nothing... I was trying to look at the cookies you were holding."

He shrugs, not making a huge deal about it. We all put cookies out in silence.

"Hey Komanda, you want to help me with this?" Isho-kun asks, trying to hold the roll of tape between his chin and torso, "Just hold the tape for a sec."

"Sure," Komanda-kun says, rushing forward to help.

Himoto glances at them, waiting until Komanda-kun is out of earshot, "I'm glad you're sleeping better," He finally murmurs, "It's nicer when you're 100 percent."

XxXxX

I look around at the other groups' booths. They look really cool. I wonder if we'll be able to attract any costumers at all. As I'm thinking these thought, Fraise's voice says in my ear, "It'll be fine Lynne! Don't worry about it."

I turn around, there she is, "Fraise, you're here! Where have you been?"

"All over the place," She replies, though not really answering my question, "Don't worry about the other groups, focus on yourself and how much you can sell."

"Right," I nod, "The event is about to start. Are you going to help?"

Fraise sighs, "I wish I could, but this is for the grand prix. I can't help you out."

"Oh okay, you can watch." I pick up one of my cookies, "Feel free to share this with Kumquat, Raspberry and Toffee."

Fraise smiles, lifting the cookie in the air with her sweets magic and resting it on the table in the back of the booth, "Thank you Lynne." As she floats up, Aunt Lemon's voice rings through the speakers set all around the event.

"Okay teams! The gates have just been opened. The event starts now. Good luck!"

A stream of people starting flowing in, splitting up into little rivers; filtering in and toward other booths. "Wow!" I exclaim. The parents who have brought their kids have them all dressed up in little costumes. I see one little girl dressed up as a bumblebee and another as a mermaid, "They're so cute!"

The sweet princes agree with me. Now it is time to gather costumers. I step out of the booth and stand in front of it, "Get super cool, extra amazing cookies right here!" I call, "We're in full stock and ready to sell!"

XxXxX

I'm becoming increasingly concerned. I finish selling a bag of 4 cookies to a costumer. So far, she's one of the only people to come toward our booth. Even though Fraise told me to worry only about our sales, I find myself looking around. Everyone else seems to have a line of people wanting their sweets. We don't.

I think the sweet princes have noticed it too. The sweet spirits are busy whispering in the back. I wonder if they're coming up with a strategy. Even if they can't help us, they can give opinions and imply ideas.

"Super Scrumptious Shortbread right here!" I continue to beckon toward people.

Himoto brushes stray crumbs off the counter, "This is hopeless."

I sigh, "Nothing is ever hopeless. You can't give up. If we give up now, we'll never win."

"She's right," Isho-kun agrees. "We won't get anywhere if we think we won't."

Komanda-kun adds on, "Besides, Isho and I have an idea."

My eyebrows rise in interest, "And what might that be?"

"Yeah?" Himoto asks.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun tell us their idea. "No!" I argue.

"Absolutely not," Himoto says as well, crossing his arms.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!" Isho-kun insists good naturedly, "The little kids will eat it up!"

"Then you do it," Himoto replies, "Cause I'm not."

"But you and Kashino-chan match better," Komanda-kun points out.

"B-but..." I stammer, but then I realize it's hopeless. I call Fraise to come, "Fraise!"

She floats up to me, "What's up Lynne?"

"... Could you do one little thing for me?"

I whisper in her ear what I want her to do and she laughs, "Hm... That's a strange request, but okay, sure!"

XxXxX

"Come one, come all!" I call out, "My magic beckons you near me. Would you try my magically delicious cookies?"

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun's idea is ridiculous. I'm dressed as a fairy princess for crying out loud. My orange jeans and black shirt are gone; replaced by a purple layered dress with shiny see through material to make it look like it is sparkling. I have crystal sparkling wings on my back and a wreath of flowers on my head. I feel like a doll.

"Someone try the fairy's magic!" Himoto also says, though not as loudly as myself. He's embarrassed. I can tell. He's dressed in an outfit similar to mine, except he has purple pants. But nonetheless, he has wings and a purple layered shirt. He has a crown on his head. I suppose he's supposed to be the fairy prince.

I see a little kid, dressed as an alligator turn his head toward our booth, "Woah Mommy look!" He points toward our booth, "They have magic!"

His mother also turns around, intrigued by what she sees. "Well, I'll be."

"Mommy, can we go look? Please?"

"Oh... I don't see the harm."

The little boy runs over to us, excitement in his eyes, "Wow! Are you a real princess?" He asks me.

I blush, "O-of course I am! My name is Lynne, I'm princess of the fairies. Would you like a magical cookie?"

He nods furiously before turning to his Mom, "Can I have a magic cookie Mommy? PLEASE?"

She laughs, "Oh alright. I'll take one cookie please." Komanda-kun stats bagging a sugar cookie.

"Would you like a cookie for yourself?" Isho-kun asks, "We've got chocolate mocha as well."

The mother smiles, "Sure! That sounds delightful." Komanda-kun adds the chocolate mocha to the bag. The woman pays for it and hands the bag of cookies to her child.

He takes his sugar cookie and begins to eat it, little crumbs falling down the front of his costume. He looks up at Himoto and I and asks, "Can I take a picture with you?"

Himoto is about to say no, but I don't want to make the boy feel sad. "Of course sweetheart, come here." I put my arm around him, and pull Himoto down to be at his height as I bend down as well. His mother takes out her cell phone to snap a picture.

"Kashino, I'm going to kill you for this," Himoto whispers under his breath.

"Oh suck it up buttercup."

XxXxX

After taking the first picture, many other kids want pictures too. A little girl dressed also as a fairy princess tells me, "You're really pretty!"

"Oh sweetie, you're even prettier than I am!" I tell her. She too, persuades her parents to buy her cookies.

It's going great. Himoto and I pose for pictures and kids buy cookies. The smiles on the kids' faces are more than enough for me. It makes the total embarrassment worth it. One little boy comes up to us with an oblivious look on his face. After his picture with us, he asks Himoto and I, "If you are the princess and the prince, does that mean you two are together?"

Himoto and I begin the blush, "N-no!" We say together.

He laughs, "It sure looks like it!"

And so the comments begin. Another girl tells us, "You guys are cute together! Are you gonna kiss?"

One girl with rabbit ears asks, "Do you two love each other?"

I can tell Himoto is embarrassed. It's like his face is a tomato by how red he is. He doesn't look at me, but refuses whatever the kids say. A little girl dressed as a penguin stares up at Himoto, her eyes innocent. She points at me, "She's yours right?" With a toothy grin, she says, "Take care of her! She's super pretty!"

I blush. Himoto already takes care of me. But he's definitely not mine.

"Uh... Yeah," Himoto agrees awkwardly, "But she's not my-"

But the little girl already skips away with her mother, munching on a sugar cookie.

By the end of the day, we've sold quite a lot of cookies. My face hurts from smiling so much for pictures. After everything is put away after the event, Aunt Lemon gathers everyone in front of the school building, "Great job everyone! You represented our school with pride." There are cheers and applause. I clap along politely. "You've all submitted your sales, so I'll announce the winners." I glance at the sweet princes. Isho-kun gives me a thumbs up. "In third place, earning 10 reputation points, Team Tomina. In second place, earning 15 reputation points, team Kachiso. And finally, Team Takashima takes first place, earning 20 reputation points."

My expression falters a little bit. We didn't make it into the top three earners, "All other teams will receive 1 reputation point for participating." Aunt Lemon smiles, "Although, I do have one more set of reputation points. Congratulations Team Lynne for earning 5 reputation points for the most creative attraction. I do believe dressing up and taking pictures with kids was a very smart move. Well done!"

I smile and turn to Himoto, "That's great!"

He returns the smile and playfully shoves me by the shoulder, "You're a pretty good fairy princess."

"Thanks. You're not too bad at playing a fairy prince either."

* * *

**Do you ever have questions for me or Lynne? We're totally up to answer them. Here are just a few I've gotten asked...**

**~ Dear Mikashimotaku, where did you get your username from?**

**~ Mikashi-chan and Lynne-chan, is there anything you look forward to in 2013?**

**~ Dear Lynne-chan, currently what would you say is your relationship with Micheal, is like?**

**The answers and more on my tumblr blog. Feel free to ask anything you'd like. The link is on my profile.**

**:)**

* * *

**Me: And that's it! Thank you guys for reading! And please review!**

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**Mwah.**

**xoxo**

**~Mikashi-chan :)**


	20. Frost Bite, Love Bite?

**Me: Guess who's back with a new chapter of MJMS.**

**THIS GAL!**

**Eh. It's not the best chapter ever, but you know. I'm really tired guys. ROFL. Uh... This chapter is really just a lot of character development, I think. It just deepens the understanding of the characters. Cause, I kinda realized I'm only getting deeper into Lynne and Himoto's character. I thought Isho-kun and Komanda-kun deserved some love, with a perfect balance of Kazulynne, I hope this chapter is good!**

**So yeah. That's it. Enjoy!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUMEIRO PATISSIERE!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 20: Frost Bite, Love Bite?

The Halloween event went great, everyone is buzzing with excitement. After all, it was the first event for reputation points, it's pretty cool. But once we hit early November, things begin to change. The cold weather seems to pick up almost instantly. During the Halloween event I could wear the fairy princess outfit, no problem; but now? No. It's too cold.

It's seemingly out of nowhere, jackets and scarves are being brought out. The weather change is striking students with sudden sickness. I for one, don't want to be one of them. When the sweet princes and I walk into class, I immediately notice the emptiness. So many kids aren't there due to colds and flu. Aunt Lemon smiles weakly from her place at the front of the culinary classroom. Her cheeks are red, but her skin is pale; I would guess she's not quite well either.

"Hello students," She says, her voice slightly nasally, "I hope you're doing well."

There's a small chorus of, "Yeah," and "Sure." But no one really has the energy. The weather really seems to have brought everyone down, whether or not infected by sickness.

I don't want to get sick. It would be the first time I would be sick without my parents. I don't know if I can handle that. Not yet at least. Mom would always make me soup, and Dad would make me chocolat chaud. They'd always make me feel better and shower me with love. I don't think I could handle being away from them during sickness.

I turn to the sweet princes, all of them solemn. I don't think they know what to say. Aunt Lemon leaves us with the instruction of creating roll cakes and goes and sits down to wait. She must really not be feeling well.

It seems like an easy task, but really it's not. Roll cakes need to have the perfect consistency so that they roll properly. If they are too moist, they collapse. If they are to dry, they will crumble. It's actually a very delicate system.

I decide on making a simple roll cake. I've made them before, but I want this one to enhance my technical skills. I decide to make a simple vanilla roll cake with strawberry cream.

The sweet princes each make something that reflects their own personality, as I thought they might. Isho-kun makes a rose infused cake. Komanda-kun makes a macha cake. Lastly, Himoto makes none other than a chocolate cake.

The whole room is in silence. No one really feels like talking. I don't like it. "Hey, so do you guys want to hang out after school?" I ask the sweet princes.

Isho-kun smiles tiredly, "Why not? I'd love to spend time with you Lynne-chan."

Komanda-kun agrees as well, "Sure."

We all turn to Himoto; he's dead silent, almost dazed, as if he can't hear us. "Himoto...?" I call to him.

He looks up from his work, "Huh?"

I'm slightly concerned; he's not one to lose focus. "Did you want to hang out after school tonight?" I ask again, "We all are."

Himoto hesitates for a moment, "I... I guess so."

XxXxX

"A-a-achoo!" I wince as another sneeze echoes through the dorm room. Hana-chan reaches her hand out from under the blanket and snags a tissue, "S-sorry Lynne-chan," She sniffles, blowing her nose.

"Oh it's okay Hana-chan, do you feel any better?" I ask her, while I zip up my light purple sweater and secure a fuzzy hat on my head.

She coughs, "A little... But I'm still pretty bad."

I frown sympathetically, "I hope you get better! This cold seems to be striking everyone down."

As I put on my big puffy ski coat, Hana-chan whispers, "Don't forget your gloves." I grab them off the table and wrap a scarf around my neck.

"Thanks Hana-chan," I smile at her, "See you soon!"

I walk out of the girls' dorm, into the cold November air. The wind nips at my nose, and I know by how it feels that my exposed skin is turning red from cold. Even with how cold it is, Isho-kun, Komanda-kun, Himoto and I decided to go on a walk to hang out and talk and then rendezvous to Salon de Marie for some warm sweets.

The weather we're having feels like there's going to be snow soon. I walk toward the boys' dorm and see three bundled up figures. The sweet princes are dressed like me. Huge jackets, with the most limited amount of skin exposed as possible.

"Hi Lynne-chan," Isho-kun greets, from behind his scarf covered mouth, "So, where did you want to go?"

The first place I think of is that clearing in the forest that Himoto showed me, but I catch myself before I say it. That place is sort of special; a place for Himoto, and a place for me. I change my mind. "Why don't we just walk around campus?" I suggest, "If we go left, we'll finish near Salon de Marie."

"Sounds like a plan," Komanda-kun agrees, and we all start walking. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun chatter lightly with me, about grand prix and family and so many other random things. It's a great time to bond with them, up until now I realize I don't know anything about them.

Isho-kun tells me about his little siblings back at home, twins, one boy and one girl. By the story he tells, they sound like the sweetest little cuties in the world.

"Their names are Luchia and Akiro," Isho-kun says, "Luchia looks sort of like me, if I have to describe her. Akiro looks more like our mom, who has lighter hair and blue eyes."

"That's so cute!" I gush, "I have Dylan, but we're not that far apart, how far apart are you and the twins?"

Isho-kun laughs, "We're ten years apart. They're 3 now."

"That's precious," I coo, my smile wide. This is the kind of company I've been craving since flu season hit. "Any stories?"

Isho-kun blushes slightly, though the red tint on his cheeks could be from the cold too. "Well, when they were born, I wanted nothing to do with them. I was ten and used to being an only child. I didn't want a new sibling, let alone two."

I nod, "I know what you mean. When Dylan was going to be born, Michael and I were so jealous."

"Exactly, so I didn't even want to look at them," Isho-kun continues, "But then... My mom made me and when I did, my whole perspective on them changed. They were so tiny and fragile, I felt like I needed to protect them. They were my little siblings after all."

"Dylan was pretty tiny too," I admit, staring up at the sky, "When I first got to hold him, I thought I'd break him into two."

Komanda-kun laughs from my left side, "That's a little over exaggerated, don't you think?"

"Nope. He was literally like, this big!" I hold out my arms and mime how big my brother had been.

"The twins were smaller, since there were two of them," Isho-kun smiles, "I remember my mom pointing at Luchia and saying, 'Look, Hiro, your little sister looks like you'. She did, she still does. I remember her little hand reaching out and grabbing my finger. She wouldn't let go and my mom told me it was because she loved me."

"That's adorable!" I squeal, jumping a little, "When Dylan was born, I was pretty sour about it. But I guess like you, when I saw him, I kind of melted. I realized he was part of my family and that he couldn't help it if he were born."

"You really love your brother, don't you?" Komanda-kun asks.

"Yeah," I smile, thinking about him, "He was my greatest supporter in a way. Always willing to cheer me on and always did what I said."

"It sounds like he was like your slave..." Isho-kun laughs.

"He kind of was," I admit sheepishly, "But he never complained! In return, I would always play with him and read him stories at night."

"That's wonderful," Komanda-kun says; a slight sadness in his tone.

"Do you have any siblings Komanda-kun?" I ask curiously.

He flinches for a moment, "Ah... I... I did."

"... Did?"

"She..." He sighs, "She's gone."

There's a pause, "W-what do you mean?" I whisper, my eyes wide.

"My sister, Haruka," Komanda-kun says finally, "She died."

"W-what?" My jaw drops open, "I'm so sorry."

He shakes his head and smiles, "It's alright, really. You know, you kind of remind me of her."

"I-I do? How?"

"She was just like you, always so hyperactive and brave," He sighs, almost happy, yet there's still sadness somewhere there, "It's why I like you so much, like a little sister."

"Oh Komanda-kun," I take his hand and squeeze it, "I'm so glad you feel close enough to me to tell me these things."

"Me as well," Isho-kun chimes in.

"It's no big deal, we're all friends, aren't we?"

"Yeah," I smile, "We are."

Isho-kun agrees as well. "What about you Ka-kun?" Komanda-kun addresses Himoto. For the first time, I notice he hasn't said anything at all.

He looks up, his eyes sort of dull, "What...?"

"We're all friends, right?" Komanda-kun repeats.

His eyes slowly look over us, before stopping on me. "Yeah, sure."

"Himoto, are you okay?" I ask finally, "You've been acting weird all day."

He shrugs, "Yeah. I'm fine."

XxXxX

Not long after, we all make it to Salon de Marie and order hot chocolate and our favourite sweet, all the while Isho-kun and Komanda-kun continue chatting with me. Himoto is still silent.

I sip my hot chocolate tentatively, "Okay, what's your favourite memory of this year?" I ask.

Komanda-kun answers first, "Well, it must have been winning our first grand prix match. We were all so nervous."

"Especially you, Lynne-chan," Isho-kun adds.

I laugh, "But we did it! We're competing for a spot into the official grand prix, it's exciting!"

"My favourite memory has to be when we made petit fours for our first group assignment," Isho-kun says, "That's when we all really started becoming friends."

That's right. Before that, I was still on a sort of awkward basis with the sweet princes. But the stormy night and friendship theme, I felt closer to them. I learned to understand Himoto that day too. After that, we didn't fight as much. I learned so much about him and why he does the things he does. It was like establishing friendship links that day.

"My favourite memory has to be when we won the middle school grand prix," I remember thoughtfully, "It felt so great to know we reached what we'd strived for."

Isho-kun nods, "Oh yeah. That definitely felt good."

"Considering all our hard work, it was especially satisfying," Komanda-kun agrees.

"What about you Himoto?" I ask him gently, "What's your favourite memory?"

He has his elbow on the table, propping his head up. He stares at me for a moment before asking, "...What?"

"Are you really okay?" I frown, how he's acting is getting concerning.

"I'm fine," Himoto insists stubbornly, "My favourite memory... It had to be when you stormed off and I chased after you."

He's talking about right before our match with Team Maya, when I got angry and stormed away. He took me to the clearing in the woods and made me feel better. I don't think he wants to exactly talk about the specifics to Isho-kun and Komanda-kun, so I don't mention it. "Really?" I ask quietly.

Himoto nods, though he's started to daze again. The employees of the shop set our sweets in front of us, "Ooh! This looks so good," I clap my hands excitedly. I ordered a chocolate mousse, and it's extra creamy and smooth when I eat it, "Aw, this is just what I needed in flu season."

"Speaking of flu season," Komanda-kun says, "It's getting pretty bad, isn't it?"

"Everyone is starting to come down with something," Isho-kun contributes, "I'm glad none of us have caught anything."

"Hana-chan has been down with a cold all week, I certainly wouldn't want to be in her position, considering a reputation points event could pop up at any time," I reply, nodding along.

Komanda-kun points out another thing, "Teachers are pressing to finish their units in class before Christmas break, it's a horrible time to miss school and lose marks."

Himoto is quiet when he talks, "... Or fall from the top."

XxXxX

The sweet princes and I talk about meeting up tomorrow to practise some skills we learned in class this week. Not to mention the intense amount of French homework I need help with. We plan on meeting at 9, since tomorrow it Saturday. I bid them good bye and go back to my dorm. Hana-chan is fast asleep by the time I get back. I laugh; she's cuddling with the tissue box like it's a teddy bear.

The night is freezing, I am so thankful to my parents, who sent me a heating blanket as soon as the temperature dropped. I snuggle down, Fraise keeping close to me, as she's freezing as well. That night I can hear the wind hitting against the dorm building.

In the morning, I'm greeted with a surprise. The campus is dusted in snow. No wonder it was so loud last night. Hana-chan stirs from her bed and stretches, "Mm, I feel better." She turns to me, I'm still in my pajamas, my face pressed to the window. "...Lynne-chan?"

"There's snow!" I gasp, still breath taken. This is the first snowfall of the year, not to mention my first snowfall here at St. Marie.

"Wow," Hana-chan wraps her blanket around her and joins me, "It's beautiful."

I nod, before choosing an outfit for the day. I wear something warmer than yesterday; a thick, oversized sweater and tights, with knee high socks and knee high boots. I tie my hair up in it's signature ponytail and put on a hat and ear muffs, "Do you think I'll be warm enough?" I ask Hana-chan.

She nods, "I think so. Do you mind bringing soup from the cafeteria on your way back? I'm totally craving soup, it's great for recovery."

"Sure thing Hana-chan, see you later!"

XxXxX

I trudge through the snow, imprinting my icy footprints in the pure white blanket. I make it to the boys' dorm, it's so cold, they let me come inside into the foyer. I knock the snow off my boots and wait. Isho-kun comes down the stairs, "Oh, hello Lynne-chan, I figured you would be waiting."

"Where are Komanda-kun and Himoto?" I ask, fixing my hat. It's too big for my head, so it tips over my eyes.

Isho-kun hesitates for a moment. "Uh well..."

XxXxX

"A-a-achoo!"

I wince. Just when my roommate was getting better and stopped sneezing so much... I sit on the edge of the bed in the nurse's office, "Himoto..."

"Shut up Kashino," He snaps irritably, his voice thin and nasally, "I'm not in the mood for what you have to say."

"Why didn't you just tell us you didn't feel good? We didn't have to go out yesterday if you weren't up for it." I say it anyway, because I'm concerned.

He sniffles, his face is bright red and he's sweating despite how cold it is, "I didn't want to be the killjoy," He shrugs.

"No excuse!" I fret, leaning forward, "Are you okay? Why am I asking? If you're in the nurse's office, you're obviously not okay."

"He's in the nurse's office because he passed out after you left the boys' dorm," Komanda-kun says.

My eyes widen, "H-Himoto!" I pout, because I don't know what else to do, "Why didn't you just say something?"

"I didn't want to worry you!" He barks back, "Okay? Leave me alone. Damn it." He coughs, before reaching for a tissue off the nightstand.

"You're worrying me now! You're so sick," I bite on my lip.

"Don't bite your lip," He grumbles, "It'll make it bleed."

So I stop. I don't know why that always bothers him so much. At least, it has recently. "What can we do to make you feel better?" I ask tentatively.

"Nothing," Himoto says stubbornly, sitting up straight, "It's not even that bad." But his sudden movement makes him dizzy and he sways a little. Komanda-kun steadies him and he leans against the pillows.

"I call lies," I narrow my eyes at him, "Pure lies."

He doesn't look me in the eye, "... Maybe... Maybe a little."

Isho-kun pipes up, "I've got an idea!" He checks his watch, "Give me five minutes, I'll be back." He gets up and races off, to get whatever he plans on getting.

Meanwhile, Komanda-kun tries something, "Stories always helped me get better when I was a kid. It helped me calm down and rest."

Himoto raises an eyebrow, "And what kind of stories are you thinking of?"

"Remember when we were little and we played hide and seek all the time?" Komanda-kun asks rhetorically, "There was that one time you got stuck in the cupboards, right? Good times..."

Himoto's face turns a darker shade of red, "K-Komanda!" He looks at me, "That is NOT true."

"But your mom has pictures..." Komanda-kun continues, oblivious to Himoto's embarrassment. He turns to me, "I've got so many other stories. There was this one time that Ka-kun came over for a sleep over and there ended up being a storm that night..."

"You can't blame me for that!" Himoto exclaims, "You know why I'm scared of storms, you can't..."

"He screamed really loudly at a huge clap of thunder that my neighbour thought someone was being murdered in our house. They rushed over and already had 911 on the phone. It was pretty funny trying to explain it."

I laugh, "... Really?"

"KOMANDA!" Himoto yells loudly, trying to get him to stop. He sways for a second for overexerting energy, before scowling, "Can't you tell the normal stories?"

Komanda-kun stares at him, "Well, no need to get worked up about it."

I begin giggling and Himoto crosses his arms, "Stop laughing!"

"But it's funny," I reply, though I stop, "I'm only stopping 'cause you're sick, okay?"

Himoto grumbles to himself, Komanda-kun continues to tell me stories. Although, they are just normal, every other day kind of childhood stories.

"I remember when Ka-kun first met Adelaide," Komanda-kun says, looking at Himoto, with raised eyebrows.

I feel like I'm missing something here. "Who's Adelaide?" I ask.

"Himoto's girlfriend," Komanda-kun says slowly.

There's a pause. Himoto... Has a GIRLFRIEND?

"She's not my girlfriend," He grumbles, though he's too weak to make a fuss at this point, "Stop saying that."

I have this prickly feeling all inside me. Himoto has a girlfriend? How come he never told me about her? Why hasn't he said anything about ever having a girlfriend anyway? Wait, why do I care?

"What do you mean?" I ask, craving for an answer, "She wasn't actually a girlfriend, was she?"

Himoto scoffs, "She wasn't my girlfriend, she was just my friend who was a girl; like you."

I don't know why, but there's relief in that. "Why do you say she's his girlfriend?" I ask Komanda-kun.

He shrugs, "I don't know. They always seemed like a couple."

"But we weren't," Himoto interjects, "You were just trying to play matchmaker all the time."

"It was a phase," Komanda-kun glares at him.

It's then that Isho-kun comes rushing back into the nurse's office, "I've got it!" He yells, holding up a bouquet of flowers.

Himoto stares at them, "... What the hell are those?"

"You seem better than when I left," Isho-kun states sourly, holding the flowers closer to him.

"Must be the medicine at work," I say.

Isho-kun flips his bangs, "If you must know, these are wildflowers that are supposed to help clear sinuses. You sound like a dying animal when you blow your nose."

"Excuse me?" Himoto asks, "A-a-achoo!"

"Those are sinuses right there," Isho-kun rolls his eyes, "Just leave this on the bedside..."

"No!" Himoto sniffles, "A-a-choo!"

I raise my eyebrows, "Isho-kun... I don't think those are helping."

"Why?" He asks curiously, "They should be."

I stare at him expressionlessly, "'Cause I think Himoto is allergic to them, he only started sneezing again when you came in."

"T-that's right," Himoto continues, "A-a..."

Isho-kun sighs, "Fine, don't appreciate my hard work."

"It's not helping right now Isho-kun..." I try to say.

"No, it's quite alright," Isho-kun smiles at me, "I'll just give these to Hana-chan then, she'll put them to use."

"Hana-chan?" I ask confusedly.

"Why not?" He taps his chin with his index finger, "Although... We're going to have to find some other way to make Himoto feel better..."

"I told you I don't need any help..." Himoto grumbles, "A-a-achoo!"

When I'm sick, my parents usually would stay by my side and make me chocolat chaud. We'd watch T.V and they'd make sure I was okay. While I'm thinking of this, I finally think of something. "I know something that might help," I say finally.

"Kashino, please, you've all done enough damage..."

"No trust me on this," I smile, "It's going to be fine."

XxXxX

I stand in the kitchen classroom, Fraise sitting on my shoulder, "What're you making Lynne?" She asks curiously, peering at my work. I cut up chocolate and put it in a pot to melt it.

"You'll see," I wink at her.

The things that stick out most about being sick is the chocolat chaud my dad would make me to feel better. It was so smooth and made my throat feel better. Chocolate is also a natural anti-depressant, which helps sick people feel happier. After I remembered that, I figured the best thing to do is make chocolat chaud for Himoto.

Fraise catches on once she's the steps I'm taking to create it, "Oh, you're making chocolat chaud!" She says.

"Do you think he'll like it?" I ask sheepishly. Himoto is the chocolate master after all. I suppose he has a high standard for chocolate.

"Anything you make is great," Fraise reassures me. She starts smirking and says, "I think Himoto thinks the same thing."

I pause my work, "Eh? What's that supposed to mean?"

Fraise sighs, "As dense as your mom..."

I pout and flick chocolate at her, it lands on her face, "Geez. Just as bothersome as your mom."

XxXxX

I pour the chocolat chaud into a thermos to keep it warm while I take it to the nurse's office. It's already getting dark. Now that the sun is gone, it's even colder. I tiptoe into the nurse's office, seeing that the lights are off. Komanda-kun and Isho-kun must have gone back to the dorms.

"Himoto?" I whisper, calling to him. I hear him groan from the bed he was in when I left. I cross the room and see him start to sit up. It seems as though the medicine is starting to wear off. He'll need more soon. "Hey... Hey, don't strain yourself." I instruct quietly and make him lay down.

I pour the chocolat chaud into two mugs, Himoto sniffs. "Is that chocolat chaud?" He asks.

"Yeah," I hand him a mug, "I made it to make you feel better."

"You didn't have to do that," He mumbles, though takes the mug from me. His hands are freezing. I can hear him sip from the mug, "Out of all the things today, this must be the best. It's the only thing that actually has the intention of helping me."

I laugh softly, "I would suppose so. Our friends are a handful, aren't they?"

"So are you," He replies, with a slight hint of laughter, "But that's fine, I guess."

I take a sip from my own mug, "Did you really not say you felt sick because you thought you'd be a killjoy?"

"Well, kind of," Himoto says, "You were having fun; I didn't want you to worry."

"I wouldn't have minded, we could have got you to rest instead. Then, you wouldn't be here."

In the darkness, I can see his golden eyes peer at me. He smiles softly, "But then we wouldn't be here."

My heart beat quickens. Why? "W-well, I..."

Himoto takes another sip of his chocolat chaud, "Thanks for this Kashino, it's pretty good, for you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask grouchily, "I worked hard on it!"

"I'm telling you it's good, aren't I?" He asks confusedly, "You're improving as the year goes on. It's a good thing."

I begin blushing; I hope he can't see it. It is dark after all. I hear him set the mug down on the side table, "Himoto... What are you..."

He leans forward and whispers in my ear, "Thanks for being here. You're a great friend." Then he leans his head on my neck. I feel frozen all of a sudden. W-what? Why is he on me...? Like this... In the dark! And then I realize how warm he is. His fever must be making him hallucinate.

I take his head off my shoulder and tuck him in the blankets. He reaches his hand out and holds onto my sleeve, "Look at you, your dad said I'm supposed to be protecting you, but you're taking care of me."

I stifle giggles, "Let's just call it returning the favour."

"Sure..." He coughs a little before saying, "Thanks for being a great friend Kashino, more than Adelaide, more than Komanda..."

The mention of Adelaide makes me feel all prickly again. "But... I thought she was your girlfriend..."

"Not my girlfriend," He says quickly, though his voice is starting to dip, like he's falling asleep, "But I wish that..." And then he falls asleep.

My face is so hot, it's like I'm the one with the fever. What did he wish? Did he wish that I...? No. It couldn't be something like that. Besides, I don't like him. Well, not like that.

... Right?

* * *

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	21. Brother And Sister, Baking Bonding?

**Me: Ehehe... After like a month, here's MJMS 21. **

**Kashino: Why...**

**Me: Why it took so long? I was on vacation and I've been busy. I wrote this on the plane, but I wanted to share a new ILYF, because it has been even longer for it. Ehehe...**

**Ichigo: Well, this chapter is a little bit... Shaking.**

**Me: Yeah, I'm going deeper into Lynne's family. The stuff I develop here is going to come back into play, you'll all see.**

**Now, without further ado, here is the newest chapter of My Journey, My Story!**

**I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere.**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 21: Brother and Sister, Baking Bonding?

It's quite a while before anything interesting happens. Himoto gets better, the weather tones down to be less severe and more like November. Aunt Lemon hasn't said anything about a reputation points event coming up soon and I for one am getting super bored.

Every day I check the calendar tacked up above my desk, we're nearing the middle of November. Nothing. Besides flu season, nothing has happened this month at all.

It's Saturday morning when I'm sitting at my desk, chewing on the back of my pencil; damn French homework. I never understand it. "Oi, Onee-chan! Are you even listening?"

I turn to my laptop, that's been perched on my desk. Dylan stares at me, his ever wondering caramel eyes peering into the webcam and in turn, staring at me. He doesn't usually call me Onee-chan. He's on skype call with me, for what reason I'm not sure. Though usually, when he calls, it's because he needs something.

"Huh? What is it Dyl?" I ask, taking the pencil out of my mouth and scribbling down an answer. I suppose it makes some sort of sense.

"I asked you a question," He replies, sighing, "geez. You're such a scatterbrain, as usual."

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Exactly what you think it means," Dylan teases, sticking out his tongue.

Hana-chan turns from her own desk on the other side of the room, "Lynne-chan, who are you talking to?"

I spin my chair around, "Just my bratty little brother," I shoot a glance at the webcam and see my brother scowl, "Am I bothering you?"

She shakes her head, "Nah." Hana-chan gets up and comes to my side, "Hello Lynne-chan's little brother!" She waves at Dylan, who is still scowling.

"I have a name, you know." He responds finally.

"Oi! Stop being rude!"

Hana-chan laughs, "No no, it's my fault. My name is Hiroko Hana, what is your name?"

Dylan stares at her a moment, "Oh. So you're the roommate."

"Eh? Yeah," Hana-chan responds, "Why?"

Dylan shrugs, but smiles, "Lynne says lots 'bout you, that's all."

Hana-chan begins blushing at his kind words, "Aw, aren't you a darling little cutie! It's nice to meet you...?"

"Dylan," He responds, "Kashino Dylan."

"I can him Dyl," I say casually, "Or..." I smirk, "Dyl-Dyl."

"Stop it Lynnie!" Dylan yells at me, "I don't go by that anymore. It was all Mom's idea anyway..."

Hana-chan laughs, "Oh well, Dyl-Dyl-kun, it was a pleasure to meet you."

It's Dylan's turn to blush now, "Ah... W-well..." He stares at the wall to his left, "Could you not call me that?"

I snort, "What? Embarrassed by the nickname you grew up with?"

"HEY, we're all embarrassed by our nicknames thank you very much," He argues brashly, "Geez. Troublesome Onee-chan..."

Hana-chan sighs, "You two seem to get along well."

"Usually," I reply, "But we are brother and sister after all. We're bond to argue sometime or another."

"I guess so," Hana-chan agrees, "I'm going to go out for a bit, okay Lynne-chan?"

I scribble something down in the answer box for another French problem, "Sure thing. Where are you going?"

"Salon de Marie, I'm meeting... Someone," Hana-chan checks her watch, "They'll be waiting if I stick around." She grabs her jacket off the coat hooks by the door, "Ja ne!"

"Bye bye!" I wave as she leaves. Then I go back to my French work, "Now, what was the negative for this word again..."

"Whatever you're thinking, it's wrong."

I look back at my computer screen, "Oh! Onii-kun!"

"Ugh, you've been away too long," Michael says distastefully, "You're too polite. You always call me by my first name, 'member? You're not that distant, we're still siblings."

"Sorry _Mikee,_" I stress his nickname, and he blushes too. Seems we all hate our nicknames now that we're older.

"Stop bringing up such childish stuff," He grumbles, "I'm eighteen years old you know."

He pulls up a chair and sits beside Dylan, "I know, I know," I giggle, "How are your doctoral studies?"

Michael sighs, putting his hands behind his head, "Killer. I don't know how I manage to maintain a social life..."

Dylan leans in closely to Michael's face, "Eh? I don't see the problem, you're always out with your _girlfriend _anyway!"

Michael blushes, "Stop calling her that, I know she's my girlfriend, but she has a name you know!"

"How is Miyako?" I ask innocently, "Have you kissed her again?"

Michael's face turns redder than it already is, "Geez! Guys, it's my personal life you know, why should I tell you?"

"You've only kissed her once in your two years of dating," I narrow my eyes at him, "I think it's just that you're too scared to kiss her again."

"Forgive me for being a gentleman and taking things slowly," He replies, crossing his arms, "I don't see you having a boyfriend anyway."

It's my turn to blush. Why my family blushes so easily is beyond me. But then again, Mom always said Dad blushes really easily, that might be where it came from. "I-I don't need a boyfriend!" I stammer, "Besides, I don't have anyone interesting in mind..." Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and Himoto pop up in my mind. Isho-kun is the princely gentleman... Komanda-kun is the supportive older brother... Himoto is... The night in the nurse's officer instantly flashes in my mind. _"She's not my girlfriend, but I wish..." _I think the blood vessels in my cheeks explode, because I think I'm blushing like crazy, "No one interesting at all!"

"EH?" Dylan smirks excitedly, "Why are you blushing so much then Onee-chan?"

"S-shut up, I'm not!" I stutter profusely, "It's just hot in here..."

Michael laughs, "I'd love to test that theory..."

"Mou! You guys always do this to me!" I groan, "This is one thing I have not been missing..."

Just then, my phone buzzes on the table and startles me, "Ooh! Who is it from?" Dylan continues to tease, "Is it your secret boyfriend?"

"I DON'T HAVE A SECRET BOYFRIEND!" I shout at them. I check my phone.

_Himoto Kazuye: Kashino, you better be working on your French homework or I'm going to kill you. Finish it so I can look it over tomorrow._

UGH. Of all times... Now?! I can feel my face burning all over again. Why does Himoto make me blush so much? GEEZ! "Oooh! It is from her secret boyfriend!" Dylan exclaims, seeing my reaction, "Who is it Onee-chan?"

"Not my boyfriend!" I snap once again, "It's just Himoto, telling me I'd better finish my French homework..." I turn back to it, "Which I should be doing now instead of talking boyfriends with you guys."

"Himoto...? As in the blond guy you brought home that one time?" Dylan asks.

"It wasn't just him! I brought Isho-kun and Komanda-kun with me too!"

"Eh... I missed Lynne's three boyfriends? Damn, wrong day to go to the library," Michael sighs, "You couldn't have a crush on this Himoto guy, could you?"

My brothers are so nosy! "No, I don't! I don't get crushes!"

"Someone sure is defensive about someone she doesn't have a crush on..." Michael presses on, "Well, I'll just have to see him for myself one day."

"Stop it Mikee!" I wail, finally unable to take this conversation, "Anyway, Dyl, you always call me because you need something. Is there something you guys need?"

Michael snorts, while Dylan slaps him in the arm, "Stop laughing!"

"Eh...? What's up?"I ask, watching my two brothers fight, "What's so funny?"

Dylan's cheeks are a light shade of pink, "Mikee thinks it's dumb, but I need your help."

"With what?"

He stares at his lap and twiddles his fingers, "W-well... You see it's Akemi's birthday tomorrow..."

"And he forget to get her a present," Michael adds.

"How could you?" I gasp. Dylan and Akemi, Uncle Andou and Aunt Kana's daughter, have a pact. When they were little, they promised to give each other birthday presents every year. This is the first time Dylan's forgotten. He's usually all over it, stresses over it for days.

"I didn't forget!" Dylan stammers, "I-it's just... I've had the idea, but I can't do it properly."

"This is the first I've heard of this," Michael turns to Dylan, "What have you been trying?"

"I-I want to make Akemi a cake for her birthday..." Dylan continues, "But they... They don't come out right." He stares at me with his eyes open wide, pouting his lip, "Could you please help me Onee-chan?"

I stare blankly, "You need me to help you make a cake? Why don't you ask Mom and Dad? They're right there living in the same house. I'm all the way over here."

Dylan grumbles, "But... They always take over baking projects I try; I want to make the cake myself."

I sigh, "Well... I guess... I'd be happy to help, but I've got French homework to do..."

"You can do it later when you get back, please Onee-chan? PLEASE?" Dylan is basically begging, "Onegai!"

Michael says, "Come on Lynne, just do it. He's gonna be like this all day if you don't. I've got studying to do..."

I laugh before giving my brothers a thumbs-up, "Oh alright. I'll be there!"

XxXxX

I don't tell any of the sweet princes that I'm leaving to go home. I don't need to bother them. And most definitely I don't need Himoto yelling at me for ditching French homework.

The bus ride home is pretty lonely alone. I remember last time I sat beside Himoto, talking about being homesick and about when I was a kid... Suddenly, it feels like he's there sitting beside me.

"_You'll always love them, whether or not you're thinking of them and you'll always be missing them, even if you don't realize it." _

I guess he was right. I do miss my family a lot. I think it's getting worst the longer I'm away. I bite down on my lip, trying to process my thoughts. Sometimes I feel like I'm not homesick, then other times it's like I can't live without my family. I don't understand really.

It's like I can hear Himoto say as he usually does, _"Stop biting on your lip, it'll start bleeding."_

I shake my head and look out the bus window. Geez, why am I thinking about him so much?

XxXxX

I get off at the right bus stop, just a few streets away from my house. I walk up the steps when I arrive and before I can even knock on the door, it's thrown wide open. Dylan smiles widely at me, Michael behind him, "LYNNIE!" He exclaims happily and jumps me, hugging me tightly.

"Dyl... It's great to see you!" I hug him back, surprised by how much I miss his hugs. "Michael..."

"Hey little sis," He greets, ruffling my hair once I let go of Dylan, "Long time, no see."

Fraise peeps out of my pocket just a little bit, "This is your older brother?" She asks quietly, "He looks like Ichigo!"

"Eh? What was that?" Dylan asks, poking his finger inside his ear, "I thought I heard something..."

I shove Fraise deeper into my shirt pocket, "N-nope! I didn't hear a thing!" I glance left and right, "Where are Mom and Dad? It's Saturday."

"Some sort of emergency at the shop," Michael shrugs, "And when they're not here... You know what that means."

I wave my hand carelessly, "You're in charge, blah blah. It's always been like that."

He smiles, "At least you still know the rules! You've been gone for so long..."

I brush past him and into the living room, "Whatever Mikee," I smile at Dylan, "So, what did you want to do?"

Dylan's eyes widen, "Ooh! I drew a picture of what I want the cake to look like, I'm going to go get it."

Dylan dashes up the stairs, while I saunter into the kitchen with Michael. "Lynne... You're phone is vibrating," Fraise whispers.

"I'll check it later," I murmur back to her.

"So, how's the school?" Michael asks, pulling up a chair at the kitchen table, while I sit across from him.

I smile, "Pretty good. I'm making a lot of friends and learning tons!"

"That's great," He agrees, "Be sure to keep ahead of your academics, okay?"

"Yes Mr. Smarty Pants," I giggle, "You've always been the brains of the family, getting all the good grades... You're even studying one of the hardest professions..."

He reaches over and hits me on top of the head. Not to hurt me, but to get my attention, "Stop thinking like that. You're pretty smart too. It takes skill to be a patissiere too you know." He pauses, "But... I'm kinda worried about Dyl... He's..."

"I've got it!" Dylan comes rushing into the room, trips on one of the chairs at the table and falls flat on his face. Both he and I have inherited part of Mom's clumsiness, "O-ow..." He hisses as he stands. He opens up his notebook to one of the pages, "Here!"

Michael's eyebrows furrow, "Oh..."

"My," I finish. His drawing is one I can't comprehend. And that's saying something. I've been able to understand the sketches Aunt Lemon makes on the board, and no offense to her or anything, but she's not the best sketch artist.

Dylan's drawing looks sort of like a lopsided cylinder with a ring around the middle. There are these little mound-like things on the top and two stick figures, "What's wrong?" Dylan asks curiously, staring at the both of us.

"I have no idea what this drawing means," Michael says finally, "What is it?"

"I-it's a cake!" Dylan replies, a flicker in his eyes, "Isn't it obvious?"

I laugh nervously, "Uh... To be quite honest, it isn't..."

Dylan pouts, turning to Michael, "I'd love to see you try," He grumbles, "You're not even going to be a patissier."

Michael smirks and takes the notebook and pencil. Flipping to a clean page he asks, "What did you want your cake to look like?"

"It's gonna be vanilla," Dylan replies matter-of-factly, "With chocolate in the middle."

"Okay..." Michael draws a cake shape and a stripe around the middle. He labels the cake, 'vanilla' and the little stripe, 'chocolate'. "What else?"

"I was thinking of making butter cream frosting and making star decorations on the top," Dylan admits, pointing to his own drawing, "That's what these things are supposed to be."

"The hills are supposed to be stars?!" I ask, slightly alarmed at his limited artistic skill.

"Mou, stop being mean Lynnie!" He groans, "And these two stick figures are supposed to be marzipan of me and Akemi."

I blink, "I didn't realize you knew what marzipan was."

"It's not like you're the only one studying sweets," Dylan replies, "I'm teaching myself stuff too! I want to be ready for when I go to St. Marie."

"That's in three years, Dyl," I remind him.

"So? You started learning when you were 8," He argues, "Anyway, that's basically my cake design." He smiles smugly, "So what does your drawing look like Onii-kun?"

Michael hold up the notebook and my jaw literally drops, "Ah! Sugoi! It's so realistic!"

Dylan crosses his arms, "Hmph. Well, it's pretty good..."

"Mom always told me I got Dad's sketch skills," Michael shrugs. He tears the drawing out of the notebook, "Here you go. You guys better get started if Lynne's going to get back to school on time."

He stands up and begins to leave the room, "Where are you going?" I ask. I thought he was going to bake with us.

"Me, baking? Are you kidding? I don't need a repeat of the fire department incident... You two go on ahead," Michael says, "I'll be studying in the dining room if you need anything."

I smile at Dylan as Michael leaves, "Alright. Are you ready to make a super delicious birthday cake?"

Dylan jumps up excitedly, "Of course!"

XxXxX

"So what's St. Marie like?" Dylan asks. I've got him cracking and mixing eggs, while I work on creaming butter and sugar for the cake.

"It's great. Just like Mom and Dad said it would be like," I say happily, whilst I watch the stationary mixer, "I'm really happy there."

Dylan sighs, "I can't wait until I'm old enough to be there. I'm still too young to do much. Mom and Dad always watch me in the kitchen while I practise stuff. They don't trust me like they trusted you."

"Oh Dyl, I think they're just trying to cherish the moments they have with you," I respond, taking his egg mixture and adding it to the batter, "Mom and Dad really miss me, so they say. I think they want to spend as much time with you as they can before you go away too."

He begins sifting flour, "Well... That's stupid. I still have 3 years to go."

"Don't be like that, you'll realize when you go away how much you'll miss them," I assure him, "I sure do."

"That's just you," Dylan argues.

"Not true. I wanted to get out of here," I say, "I was tired of being babied and wanting to get out and be on my own. But now that I am, I get homesick all the time."

Dylan grumbles, "Mom and Dad are getting frustrated with me all the time. They're getting mad at me more and more."

"Mad? How are you making them mad?"

"My grades are slipping," He admits finally, "With you gone, no one can help me. Mikee's busy with his own studies, and Mom and Dad have a store to run."

"Dyl..."

He harshly adds another half cup of flour into the sifter, "It's not my fault I can't be smart like Mikee or talented at baking like you. I'm the disappointment kid."

I stop him from his work, "Don't you ever think like that."

He stares up at me, "But it's true. I'm not anything special. No one cares. I'm so invisible at home. Mom and Dad never ask me how I'm doing. They always talk about you, how well you're doing or how much they miss you. They always praise Michael for how well he does in school. There's nothing to say about me besides the fact that I need to step up and get better grades."

"It's only because they care about your education," I try, "They want what's best for you."

"I'm already trying!" He finally snaps, "I am doing the best I can do, but it's not enough for them." He slams the sifter down into the bowl, "I'm never good enough for them Lynne, never. It's always about you and Michael; always, always, always. I don't think they even wanted me in the first place."

I can see tears pooling in his eyes, "Dylan..."

"I know you guys didn't want me! Okay? I've heard all the stories."

I stop dead, "What stories?"

"The stories about when Mom had me," He mutters bitterly, "You and Michael didn't want me. Mom and Dad weren't even sure if they would keep me."

"Michael and I were little kids! We were jealous of all the attention you were going to get. You can't blame that on us. Mom and Dad love you, so do Michael and I. When you were born was a hard time. It's not their fault they had to think like that. But you're still here, aren't you?"

"Yeah, and no one cares! It'd be fine if our family didn't include me, you guys wouldn't care!" He snaps, "I was never important."

"Stop that!" I finally shout. He freezes so I continue, "Do you know how much I love you? I tell the sweet princes about you all the time! You're my little brother, I wouldn't trade you for anything, do you understand? Stop saying things like that. You aren't worthless, please don't think like that."

He's so young and already thinking things like that. If he keeps on going like that... I can't imagine what he might get into when he's older.

"Lynnie, why'd you have to leave?" He asks, his tears are finally streaming down his cheeks, "You were the only one who understood. Why'd you have to leave me here alone?"

I can't stand to see him like this. Why is my brother so sad? Is this all because I left for St. Marie? I feel sick, wondering how long my brother's been feeling like this.

He grabs hold of me, and cries into my shoulder, "Why don't Mom and Dad love me like they love you? Why aren't I good enough for them?"

"You are Dyl, you're more than enough for them, I promise," I whisper in his ear, stroking back his blond hair, "You just can't see it. I promise you, they do. I promise."

He looks up at me, "I just want to get out of here. I want to go with you."

I shake my head, "Dyl, you know I can't do that. You have to stay here."

He sighs, before breaking away from my hug, "Let's just finish this cake..." I look on him with concern, but I know he's probably not going to say anything more; so I agree.

As Dylan turns around, to continue sifting flour, I see the kitchen door crack open slightly. Michael stares in, looking straight at me, "I'm worried," He mouths at me.

I couldn't agree more.

XxXxX

"Alright, now we just wait for the cake to bake," I say happily, as Dylan puts it into the oven. "Why don't we work on the chocolate cream for the center?"

"Okay!" Dylan agrees, smiling. He's gone back to his happy-go-lucky self. But I can't help but keep thinking of that hurt look in his eyes and all the things he's said. I really worry about him. I get out Dad's tempering tools and Dylan stares at me with wide-eyes, "You're going to temper it?"

"I've learned," I say thoughtfully, "Dad taught me about it when I was younger, but Himoto helped me learn it for myself."

Himoto... I wonder what Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and he are doing. "Lynne!" Fraise hisses from my pocket, "Your phone is..."

"Shht!" I scold quietly, side glancing at Dylan to see if he's looking, "I said I'll check it later!"

I turn the heat on and begin to temper, Dylan pulls up a chair and watches intently, "Wow... You're movement is so fluid!"

I stop for a moment, wiping the tools off, "Did you want to try? I can help you."

His eyes brighten instantly, "Actually?"

"Of course! This is your project after all, isn't it?"

Dylan comes over and I guide him through his first tempering lesson. He does fairly well for the first time. He samples the chocolate cream once it's done, "Ah! It's so smooth!"

"That's what tempering does," I tell him, "It makes the sweet even better. For sure this cake will put a smile on Akemi-chan's face!"

He blushes before turning to the wall, "I-I hope so."

XxXxX

"And it's finished!" I cheer, as Dylan puts on the last marzipan figure. The cake is a simple vanilla cake with a chocolate cream layer in the middle. It's frosted in white butter cream with blue butter cream stars. A marzipan Akemi stands in the center of the cake, with a marzipan Dylan holding up a little sign that reads, 'Happy Birthday Akemi!'

"It's so cool!" Dylan breathes.

Fraise pops out of my pocket, "Wow. Great job Lynne! Sweet Romance Card, come on out!" She hovers over the cake, sprinkling her magic on it, and sending a sweets card to the Queen.

Michael comes into the kitchen, "Woah, that's one impressive cake! Great job guys."

I smile, "Thanks! But Dylan did the most of it."

He blushes sheepishly in response, rubbing the back of his neck, "It was nothing..."

"You're so talented you know?" Michael says carefully.

I can see Dylan flinch slightly; almost as if he doesn't believe Michael, "You're just saying that..." He trails off.

"Honestly," Michael says, holding up his hands, "My fingers aren't crossed or anything."

"Oh... Um, okay," Dylan replies.

I check my watch, "Ah! Is it this late already?! I've got to get back to school."

There's a pause. Dylan stares up at me, "Don't go Lynnie. Please don't go." He takes hold of my hand and stares at me with his huge golden eyes. This is harder than the first time in September when I first transferred schools.

I slowly let my hand slip from his grasp, "I have to go, okay? Tell Akemi-chan I say happy birthday."

He sniffs, before wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "O-okay." I give him a hug and am suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling that I don't want to let go, but I do.

I gather my stuff and button up my jacket, I smile and wave at both my brothers, "I'll skype you guys later, okay?"

They both nod, "See you soon Lynne," Michael calls.

"Bye," Dylan agrees.

They close the door behind me, and I walk to the bus stop. I'm halfway there when I realize I've started crying.

XxXxX

The bus ride back to St. Marie is lonelier than the ride home. I wish I could have taken Dylan with me. But I can't. I stare out the window, stray tears still falling from my eyes every now and then. I feel like a horrible sister.

"_Don't beat yourself up about something you have no control over,"_ I can hear Himoto's voice in my head. He's never exactly told me that, but I can picture him saying it, _"You can't blame yourself for everything."_

XxXxX

By the time I get back to St. Marie, it's already dark out. I get to the gate and see Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and Himoto all there. "I-Isho-kun? Komanda-kun? Himoto? What are you guys doing here?"

"Where the hell have you been?!" Himoto snaps finally, glaring at me.

"Uh... I went home. My little brother needed help."

"You could have said something!"

"I'm sorry," I mumble sheepishly, "I didn't want to be a bother."

Isho-kun sighs before taking my hand, "You wouldn't have been a bother Lynne-chan. Actually, we spent the whole day trying to find you."

"We were worried," Komanda-kun agrees, his eyes shift to look at Himoto, "Ka-kun was the worst though. He couldn't concentrate at all."

"That's not true!" Himoto argues. Isho-kun leads me back inside the campus and Himoto walks on my other side.

Komanda-kun shrugs, "Liar. He wouldn't sit still at all. He was pacing the whole time. Always muttering things like, 'What the hell is wrong with that girl?' and 'Where could she be?' Not to mention he was always on his phone."

"Komanda!" Himoto exclaims, "It wasn't that bad. Geez, I wasn't even worried about you. I was thinking about the French work you most likely haven't done."

I stop, dead in my tracks, "F-French work?"

"DON'T TELL ME YOU FORGOT!" Himoto face-palms, "I texted you how many times that you needed that done for tomorrow?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" I stammer.

His face turns dark, "Well you know, we still have the whole night..."

"Mou! You devil!"

"Come on Kashino, it's your own responsibility. Let's get to it!"

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun laugh. "Well, he's obviously back to being himself," Komanda-kun says.

"She always seems to do that," Isho-kun responds, softly. Though Himoto isn't paying attention, he's still ranting on about French work to me.

XxXxX

When I finally get back to my dorm room, Hana-chan is already asleep. I get ready for bed and settle in for the night. Fraise floats wearily and falls asleep on my pillow.

I finally check my phone, since Fraise has been bugging me to check it all day.

_Kashino...?_

_WHERE ARE YOU?_

_Kashino, if this is some kind of joke, it's not funny!_

_You're Dad said I'm supposed to protect you! I can't if I can't find you!_

_Are you okay? Are you hurt or something?_

_Tell me you're okay!_

_Answer me!_

_Kashino, you're worrying me._

_Where the hell are you?_

_Come on! This isn't funny._

_Kashino, at least tell me you're okay._

_It's getting dark out and you're still nowhere. Come on! You're giving me a heart attack._

All from Himoto. For some reason his worry about me so much makes me feel fuzzy inside. I fall asleep with my phone held in my hand, still thinking about Dylan and Himoto.

* * *

**Me: I hoped you like it!**

**Lynne: Wow.**

**Me: Oh hi Lynne!**

**Lynne: MY BROTHER! Dx**

**Me: I know... It's okay. Things get worse before they get better.**

**Lynne: Wah, says you. You know what's gonna happen, I don't.**

**Me: Well, it'll make sense in the end.**

**Lynne: Why did Himoto send me so many texts anyway?**

**Me: Again, it'll make sense in the end.**

**Lynne: :P**

**Me: Thanks for the reviews!**

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**Wow guys. I love you all so much. You're all the best. In fact, after this I'm writing something extra special in tumblr for all my fanfiction followers. I appreciate and love you all very very much.**

**Lynne: And don't forget to review! :)**

**xoxo**

**~Mikashi-chan :)**


	22. Tag Team Test, Team Kazulynne!

**Me: LOL. After exactly 20 days, I return with a new chapter of MJMS! Yay!**

**Wah. Remember when I used to post chapters for this every day? I miss those days. Summer cannot come soon enough...**

**Anyway, this chapter is sure to be Kazulynne fluffy! As you may be able to tell from the title *cough cough***

**I hope you all enjoy! :)**

**I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 22: Tag Team Test, Team Kazulynne?!

"Mou HIMOTO!" I wail frustrated, throwing my pencil across the table, "This is too hard. Stop it!"

Himoto in turn just rolls his eyes at me, "Kashino, it's simple French work. You do realize that if you fail classes, you are disqualified from the grand prix, right?"

"Hmph," I pout, "I know that, geez."

"Then stop complaining," Himoto concludes; and that is the end of it.

Isho-kun swoops in to help me, "We could all use a break from school work though. Look what I found in the main office." He holds up a flyer.

"Sweets festival?" Komanda-kun reads it aloud, "Come on and all, join in the fun. Sweets sampling, competitions and more."

"That sounds like so much fun!" I chirp happily. Anything beats French homework, "Let's go to that! When is it?"

Himoto sighs, "Oi. You need to focus on Fre-"

"Tomorrow," Isho-kun replies, "Sunday morning, bright and early."

Irritated at being interrupted, Himoto snaps, "But Kashino, you've got things to-"

"Let's go!" I plead, staring at Himoto with puppy-dog eyes, "Please Himoto? PLEASE?"

He flinches, "B-but..."

I lean in closer, my eyes bearing into his own, "Come on please?"

He clenches his fists, trying to keep his ground. But I am just too good. "Oh fine," He grumbles moodily, "Stop making that face. It's distracting."

I stop, "Ehehe. Just a persuasive technique I've learned. Being the middle kid has its perks."

XxXxX

The next day, bright and early, I walk across the campus, eager to get to the sweets festival. It's about 45 minutes away from St. Marie, but so worth it. The sweet princes told me to meet them at the bus stop around 8:30.

I'm there at around 8:20, just because I'm so excited to do something interesting. To my surprise, I see Himoto there already. He stands just outside the bus stop's little shelter, wearing his puffy winter jacket. Though, his head is completely uncovered, his cheeks and ears red with cold. He exhales softly, a little puff of white evaporating quickly in the air. His hands are shoved in his pockets and I can see the wires of earphones trailing from his ears into it. "Himoto?"

He looks up, before nodding in acknowledgement of my presence, "Oh hey Kashino," He says, taking one of the earphones out of his ears.

"Whatcha listenin' to?" I ask.

Himoto smirks a little bit, "Well, I was up last night working on French, right? And then I remembered how _bad _at it you are," He replies.

"... What's your point?"

"So I did a little research," He shrugs casually, "Trying to find something that'll get the grammar rules into that thick head of yours."

"That's not very nice you know," I argue, crossing my arms, "And I'm not that stu-"

"I found this French artist that sings grammar songs," Himoto cuts me off, he laughs, "_grammar songs_, and the sad part is, they've been stuck in my head ever since then."

I find myself laughing along with him. It's not even that funny, but watching Himoto laugh makes me laugh. I like it when we share moments like this. It's nice. Sort of light and fluffy, in a sort of way that makes me love being friends with him. Himoto clears his throat, obviously trying to gain back his composure. He doesn't usually joke, so it makes sense. "So, I did some research on this sweets festival we're going to," Himoto tells me.

"Why?"

"You should always be looking for ways to learn," Himoto says, "We're going to a sweets festival, there are things we can learn and put into practise. Here, let me show you what I found."

He takes out his cell phone and pulls up a screenshot of a website, "Look. They're having a little mini competition today. A tag team battle, where you compete for the title of 'Best Baking Pair'. Sounds a little like a practise grand prix round to me."

I lean closer, trying to see it straight, "Yeah! It sort of does... A two rounded competition, restrictive time limit... Sounds like a lot of fun though!"

"Guidelines say teams of two, no more, no less. No prior experience necessary."

I cock my head to one side, "Only two? I guess that means we can't all compete."

Himoto stares at me for a moment, before putting his phone away into his pocket, "How said we couldn't?"

I blink, confused at what he's trying to imply. "... What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, don't make me have to _ask _you," He rolls his eyes, but even then, his eyes don't find their way back to mine. He won't look at me.

"Ask me what?"

His gaze wanders to the snow blanketed ground, "Kashino... Do you... You wanna be my partner?" I start to laugh, and he looks up at me, mortified. His cheeks are bright red, but then again, it is cold out here. "W-what?" He stammers, "Did I do something?"

I shake my head, "N-no... It's just... Why do you have to ask?"

"What?"

I throw my arm around his shoulders, "Of course I will! We're friends after all, right?"

He stares at me before looking at my arm around him, "Ah... I guess so."

"It's decided then! We're totally gonna smoke the competition!"

"... You can count on it."

XxXxX

After that, Isho-kun and Komanda-kun come right on time and we all head out to the sweets festival. It's really quite amazing. It's held inside a large building, sort of the size of an absolutely massive warehouse. There are a lot of things going on, from little booths selling cute little sweets, to food carts teeming with freshly cooked goodies. "Ah! It all looks amazing!" I gush excitedly, "Aw, look at that, it's a crepe booth!"

Himoto grabs me by the arm, "Come on Kashino. Focus. The competition starts in 20 minutes, we have to get there first, then you can pig out to your heart's content."

"HEY!"

"You sure are energetic today," Isho-kun says; a smile on his face.

"The idea of competition is really invigorating though, isn't it?" Komanda-kun adds.

I nod my head, "You guys are gonna enter as a team too, right?"

"Yup," Isho-kun says, putting a hand on my head, "I'd love to be your partner Lynne-chan, but it seems as though Himoto has beat me to it."

"It's not like she's a finish line," Himoto murmurs, walking along ahead, and Isho-kun laughs at his reaction.

"It's okay though Lynne-chan, Komanda and I will be sure to win!"

"No way! Himoto and I are going to beat you!"

Komanda-kun chimes in, "We'd love to see you try."

XxXxX

"Two teams?" The lady at the registration booth asks. We all nod. Right behind her is the little attachment hallway that leads to another building. Above our heads is a big blue banner that reads, "Tag Team Baking Extraordinaire" in big flashy letters. She gives us two clipboards with a form clipped down, with a pen hanging from a string, "Just fill this out."

"Participants..." Himoto reads aloud. We all take a seat against the wall, to the left of the booth.

"So you and me," I say, "Kashino Lynne and Himoto Kazuye."

He nods, "Yeah," He writes it down in the blank line. "And how old we are..."

"What's your team name going to be?" Komanda-kun and Isho-kun ask us.

"Team name?"

Isho-kun reaches over and points to the last question on the form, "You need a team name. Kind of like all of us are under the name 'Team Lynne'."

"What's your team name?" Himoto asks curiously.

"Team Sweet Princes," Komanda-kun replies, "Minus one, of course."

Himoto scoffs, "I don't particularly enjoy having that title stuck on me without my consent, so I'm good."

"Let's just name our team, Team Lynne, Himoto," I say, "It'll just be easier that way."

"No! You're already the namesake for our grand prix team, our team name should at least be Team _Kazuye _for this one."

"How come your name is okay, but not mine?"

"It's just like that."

Isho-kun laughs at our dispute, "While you figure that out, Komanda and I are going to head in there okay? We'll spot out the competition."

"Yeah, sure," Himoto says, "Come on Kashino, we just need to pick something. It's not that hard."

"Team Lynne then."

"No."

"You're difficult you know."

"So are you."

We sit there in silence for a moment.

"What about something like... Team St. Marie?"

"Kashino, that's too generic."

"Fine."

We sit there for a while. Himoto taps the pen against the clipboard, and I've removed my jacket. "We need to get this over with," Himoto sighs, "We have to give them this back in the next 5 minutes or we're not even going to participate at all."

"Team Lynne then!"

"Team Kazuye."

"No!"

"Can I make a suggestion?" A little voice asks us. Standing in front of us is this little girl with short lilac coloured hair, she has springy curls and a white knitted hat on her head. "Sorry, I've just been hearing you guys have problems with a team name."

"You've been eavesdropping?" Himoto asks bluntly.

"W-well, not eavesdropping, you guys are arguing pretty loud," She says.

I'm almost tempted to say, 'That's normal'. "Sorry," I apologize, "We can get pretty fired up sometimes."

"I've got idea for you guys!" She exclaims happily, "I'm gonna guess your names are Lynne and Kazuye, right?"

Himoto and I look at each other, "Yeah," I reply, "Why?"

"Well, I was thinkin' it's a match for partners right? You guys are a team! Why not just combine your names together?"

"... Combine our names together?" Himoto repeats.

"How would that sound?" I ask curiously.

The little girl puts her finger to the corner of her mouth, gently tapping as she thinks, "Uh... Lynne and Kazuye... Maybe... Kazulynne?"

Himoto and I exchange stares again, "Kazulynne?" I say, the word itself sounding weird when I say it.

"I don't see... I don't see why not," Himoto agrees finally.

"Then, let's go with that!" I say, smiling. I turn to the little girl, "Thanks a lot for your help."

She grins happily, "It's no problem. I'm gonna be watchin' with my Mom, so I'll be cheering for you guys!"

"Who's your mom?" I ask. It turns out, her mother is the lady who works the sign up.

We hand her mom the sheet and she stamps it before sending us inside, "Good luck to you both." She says.

As Himoto and I walk into the hallway, I hear the little girl say, "Neh Mama, weren't they a cute couple?"

"Yes Darling."

Himoto looks at me, his face sort of frozen in this weird kind of look, "She thought we were..."

"... That's awkward."

"Agreed."

XxXxX

The room itself is kind of situated like an arena where you would watch sports events. Except this time, it's a baking event. There is the stage, which is surrounded by tall bleachers. There are 4 stations, so I guess there are 4 teams competing.

We spot Isho-kun and Komanda-kun near the back, and choose the station beside them. "Look at all the people!" I exclaim, looking around. The bleachers are slowly filling with a numerous amount of onlookers. It's even more than our typical grand prix audience.

"You're not bothered by that, right?" Himoto asks.

"No, why?"

"I just don't want you to seize up from everyone staring at you."

"That's not going to happen!"

"You two seem about ready to tear each other's heads off," Isho-kun laughs, "Are you sure you can be a team?"

Himoto and I stop arguing, "Yeah, yeah," I breeze it off lightly, "We fight, but that doesn't mean we aren't going to blow the competition out of the water."

"You're quite cocky, don't you think?"

I feel prickles run through my spine, and I turn around. "Maya! What are you doing here?"

Of course it's Maya, beside her are Sitio, Shikufu and the shy girl, whose name I now know is Mako. "The question should be, why are _you _here Lynne?"

"I asked you first!"

Maya laughs, holding a hand to her chest, "Why, I'm here to win Lynne. If you haven't already noticed, I'm a better baker then you are, considering that I beat you in the grand prix."

"You cheated, and you know that," I argue coolly, lowering my eyelids. She knows exactly what she did; stealing my inhaler and all.

"That's beside the point!" She exclaims, tossing her curly red locks behind her, "I'm going to destroy you in this competition today, because I've got Mako as a partner, right Mako?"

"Huh?" Mako squeaks, "Uh... Yeah. Y-you do."

Shikufu and Sitio cheer together, "And you've got us to beat too Lynne!"

"You're causing too much ruckus," Himoto interjects, "Geez. Just chill out and leave us alone."

Maya's personality instantly makes a switch, "But KAZUYE-KUN!" She yells, her voice as high as the mountains, "I just want to show you how good I am!" She jumps forward and wraps her arms around his neck, "I just want to impress you, my _darling!_"

Himoto seizes up, as usual. I feel this weird fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Wait! Better yet, Kazuye-kun why don't you be my partner!"

My eye twitches, "Um, _excuse me," _I say, grabbing Maya from the collar of her shirt and tearing her away from Himoto, "Himoto is my partner."

"It's his choice you know," Maya replies, pushing me away from her, "Kazuye-kun, be my partner! Mako can be Lynne's partner," She looks at Mako, "Right Mako?"

"I-I guess so," She stammers, twiddling her fingers and looking down at the ground.

"Hold on, I don't want to be your partner!" Himoto exclaims.

Maya whines, before coming up close to him again, trailing her index finger up his chest, before resting it at the bottom of his chin, "Come on, please Kazuye-kun?"

"I asked Kashino to be my partner, not you," He continues, trying to slip away from her grasp, "Let go!"

The fluttery feeling inside my stomach is starting to feel like fire. "Would you just go away?" I demand, again grabbing Maya by the collar and dragging her off, "Himoto is my partner. I'm not switching with you!"

Maya sighs, shrugging, "Well Kazuye-kun, I gave you the chance to be part of a winning team. But I guess if you want to continue hanging out with losers..." She glances at me, and I'm almost tempted to jump forward and attack her, "I'll let you do that. Just know that I'm always here when you figure out you want me! 'Kay?" She laughs again before strutting away, but not before blowing Himoto a kiss.

"Ugh! She's so obnoxious!" I scream, grabbing Himoto by the arm, "Come on, let's get going to our own station."

"H-Hold on! Kashino... Slow down!"

I can't really hear him though. All I can hear is Maya saying 'losers' again and again. I'm not a loser. I'll show her.

I have to win this. Or else she'll never let me live it down.

XxXxX

"My name is Micha, and I'll be the spokesperson for today's event!" The lady from the sign up is also the spokesperson, "Teams, your job is to make the most delicious layer cake you can think of, to be made in the short time of 1 hour. You all have a fully stocked station with every kind of equipment you might need, not to mention our pantry chocked full of any ingredient you might need."

"Sounds easy enough," Himoto says from beside me, "Much easier than a grand-"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence however, "And a special thank you to Chateau Seika for sponsoring today's competition!"

Both Himoto and I sneak a glance at Maya, who smiles smugly. From the screens hanging from the middle of the screen, I see a video clip being played. It shows Maya's mother, Koshiro Miya, sitting in a fancy looking room on a leather couch, "Good luck to you all," She says smoothly, "Especially my daughter, you'll do well my dear!"

Maya beams happily, eager for attention, as all eyes are drawn to her.

I huff. "Whatever," Himoto rolls his eyes, he lays a hand on my shoulder, "We've got a lot on her, don't worry about it."

"That's true."

"And now to announce the teams," Micha says delightedly, "We have four wonderful teams ready to compete! Up first, at the far left station, the powerful tag team who call themselves, Team Maya!" There is polite applause, and Maya laughs that annoying, trilly laugh her mother also has. Mako on the other hand, seems to be trying to shy away from all the attention she's receiving.

"Up next, identical twins, entering the competition with the name, Team Double S!" Sitio and Shikufu's team. Their name is actually quite creative in my opinion, considering that both their names start with S.

"Right beside them, these two princely teens with a name to match, Team Sweet Princes!" There's much chatter about Isho-kun and Komanda-kun. It's similar to the reaction they get at school from all the girls, so I guess it doesn't bother them that much.

"And last but certainly not least, this cute couple who had the most difficulty coming up with their name, Team Kazulynne!"

If I thought the reaction to Isho-kun and Komanda-kun was big, mine and Himoto's must be explosive. People are cooing over us. "C-couple?" I stammer, feeling my cheeks turning bright red.

Isho-kun laughs, "Team Kazulynne?" He asks, "Where'd you guys get that?"

Himoto is red too, I can't see why he wouldn't be, "W-well... It's our two names together! This girl told us it would be a good-"

Komanda-kun interjects, amusement also showcased on his face, "You do realize that when you put two people's name together, that's making their couple name, right?"

It's like I can feel the blush taking over my entire head, even to the roots of my hair, "N-no!"

Once the excitement dies down, Micha says, "Teams, you have one hour; starting now. Good luck!"

A little bell goes off, and we're all set to start. After getting over our initial embarrassment at being called a couple, Himoto and I get to work, "What kind of layer cake should we make?" Himoto asks me.

I open the sketchbook provided to us onto the table and draw a cake shape, "I was thinking chocolate, since that's your thing?"

"We could do that," Himoto agrees. I label the cake 'chocolate' and Himoto looks at it, "Wouldn't it seem kind of boring to do a chocolate cake with chocolate layers though?"

"That's true," I muse, "We could do a vanilla cake with chocolate layers if you'd prefer that."

"It's still kind of boring..." He pauses, before suddenly asking me, "What's your favourite flavour in the whole world Kashino?"

"Huh?"

"Just give me an answer!"

"Uh... Strawberries I guess?"

"... That's so redundant."

"You just wanted an answer!"

Himoto sighs, "Strawberries it is," He says, "We'll make strawberry cream layers."

"What about mixed berry?" I suggest, "We could do raspberry, strawberry, blackberry and blueberry."

"Sounds good," Himoto nods, taking the pencil from me and sketching it out, "We'll worry about decoration when the cake's baking, sound good?"

I didn't realize how well Himoto and I function as a team until now. Up until this point, we've always been working in a group of four, Himoto, Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and myself. As much as I enjoy working all together, working alone with Himoto is kind of fun in its own way. "Sounds good," I agree, "Let's do this."

I glance over at Maya, who's already rattling off a bunch of things to Mako, who's struggling to keep up with her. Then I look at Himoto.

We've got this.

XxXxX

As Himoto works on the chocolate cake, I work on the layers that are to go in between pieces of the cake. Since the point of the competition is to make a layer cake, it is extremely important that it shine. To make a fruit cream is quite simple. Firstly, I have to whip sugar and cream together. Adding sugar makes the cream sweeter, which will help balance the tartness of the different kinds of berries, but also help whip the cream into a fluffier texture.

I have 1 cup of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blackberries respectfully. I've chopped them up and throw them into the blender to quickly blend them together, before mixing it into the cream mixture.

It takes a while to mix in the fruit. Since it adds weight, you have to rewhip the cream to peak again. But not too much, or else the cream will be stiff instead of fluffy. I take a swipe of cream of the whisk and sample it myself. I think it tastes a little too tart from all the fruits.

"Himoto, you wanna try this cream for me?"

He doesn't even look up from his tempering job, "Kinda busy at the moment, just give me some."

Without even thinking about it, I swipe more of the cream off with my finger and hold it up at the level of his face. I don't think Himoto even notices it's my finger either, because he's focused on his own task. He leans forward and licks the cream off my finger. That's when I realize what just happened. And I guess he does too. He almost stops tempering, "KASHINO! WHY DON'T YOU USE A SPOON LIKE A NORMAL PERSON?"

"S-sorry! I forgot!"

XxXxX

Finally, our chocolate cake makes it into the oven, with barely just enough time to bake and be cooled later. I put the cream into the fridge, and it currently chills as Himoto and I speak. "So it's a chocolate cake with fruit cream," I say, tapping the pencil to the sketchpad, "How should we decorate it?"

"When I think of chocolates, I think high class," Himoto admits honestly, "And then fruit cream... I sort of think about being little and eating fruit salad."

I raise my eyebrows at him. He blushes before turning away, "... My adopted family used to make fruit salad a lot... That's all."

I giggle at his bashfulness before saying, "I've had fruit salad too before, you know. No need to be so shy about it!" I pause to think, "High class and children... What about a family kind of theme? High class adults and their innocent little kids, all enjoying sweets together!"

"How would you show that in a decoration?" Himoto asks me.

"Well how about a kind of decoration that families make together?" I think back to my own past experiences, "Something refined but simple. When I was little, my Mom and Dad always let me help decorate cakes. Usually, if it was a fruit cake they'd cut up fruit in cool ways and let me put them wherever I wanted on the cake."

"How'd they cut up fruits in cool ways?"

"Oh, like this," I sketch a picture of a strawberry cut to look like a blooming flower, "Isn't that cute?"

"Why don't we do that?" Himoto asks, "You could do a garden on top of the cake, made out of fruits."

"That sounds pretty!" I exclaim happily.

"You can handle cutting the strawberries right? I'll use chocolate to stick some of the other fruits together to make different kinds of flowers."

"Sure!"

XxXxX

In the end, mine and Himoto's cake is like this. It's a dark chocolate cake with 3 layers of cake and 3 layers of cream filling. It's covered in green fondant, with a pretty arrangement of fruit styled to look like flowers adorning the top. I think it's absolutely gorgeous. I unofficially give it the name 'Within the Fruit Garden'.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun's cake is a Japanese style cake, using anko paste as layering substance and flavouring their cake with macha. Of course, there are candy art flowers, courtesy of Isho-kun's handy work.

Sitio and Shikfu's cake is a chocolate chip cake with peanut layers, glazed with chocolate and adorned with chopped nuts.

And lastly, Maya's cake; a rose cake with mint flavoured cream layers. She's dressed it up with pink butter cream frosting and thin strips of pulled candy.

"Wow, don't these all look gorgeous?" Micha says, "The first judging will be based on the presentation of your cake, ranked out of ten. Judges, what is your verdict?"

The scores appear on the screen, "Team Maya: 7. Team Double S: 6. Team Sweet Princes: 8.5. Team Kazulynne: 9."

"Yay!" I cheer happily.

"Nice job Kashino, it was your idea after all," Himoto says, generously giving me a high five.

"And now the judges will critique your creations on their taste," Micha looks at her watch, "And it seems we've gone a bit overtime, the judges will give their remarks on the cakes once the judging is complete."

The judges quietly eat the cakes, and it kills me that I can't hear what they have to say until after. "So what did the judges think? Here's the teams' score for taste! Also ranked out of ten..."

The scores flash onto the screen, "Team Maya: 9. Team Double S: 8. Team Sweet Princes: 7.5. Team Kazulynne: 8.5."

"And that's it!" Micha exclaims happily, "Which team scored the highest? Let's see!"

The team names appear with their final scores, Maya's team first.

Total Score, Team Maya: 16.

Team Double S second.

Total Score, Team Double S: 14.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun next.

Total Score, Team Sweet Princes: 16.

And lastly, mine and Himoto's score. I hold my breath. I don't feel as stressed as I do during grand prix matches, considering that the grand prix has much higher stakes, but I'm anxious nonetheless. At the moment, Maya and Mako are tied with Isho-kun and Komanda-kun for first place.

I want to win this. Maya thinks she's better than me, better than Himoto and I combined. I'll just prove her wrong. I'm a better partner for Himoto than she'll ever be.

Total Score, Team Kazulynne: 17.5.

"Yeah!" Himoto cheers, throwing his fist up in the air in celebration, "Nice job Kashino!"

"Same to you!" I say happily. And before I know it, Himoto pulls me into a hug. It feels warm, and sweet. I feel like I like it a lot.

He pulls away from me, his face turning pink, "Uh... S-sorry. Got carried away in the moment... A little."

Him saying that makes me feel like I'm blushing, and I think I'm am too, "N-no. It's okay..."

"Team Kazulynne," The judges table addresses us, "Your cake was quite impressive, from it's intensive decoration to developed flavours. Well done."

"And with that, the cute couple that makes up Team Kazulynne take the title of Best Baking Pair!"

Himoto and I exchange glances, paired with our very awkward hug and constantly being mistaken as a couple, both our faces are bright red. "Do you have anything to say?" Micha asks us.

And ironically, at the same time, which makes it less believable, the only words Himoto and I can get out clearly are...

"WE'RE NOT A COUPLE!"

* * *

**Me: So... Did you like it? Please leave a review, just a sweet and simple one would be nice! **

**Thank you to all my lovely reviewers who I love very very much! (And all you readers but not reviewers too, don't think I forgot about you guys! :D)**

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**THANKS SO MUCH GUYS. Love you all :)**

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**Cya in the next update x)**

**xoxo**

**~Mikashi-chan :)**


	23. Happy Birthday, Right?

**Me: After about a month and a half, MJMS people, I am BACK!**

**Kashino: Honestly, I don't get you. You don't update for weeks, and then all of a sudden your back with a mountainload of things!**

**Me: Well... I realized I take my fanfiction for granted, thinking I can work on them whenever. When it came to the prospect that I had lost all of them, I was really upset. So, I realized I shouldn't take advantage of it and work on them as soon as I got them back.**

**Kashino: The way your mind works really amazes me...**

**Me: ANYWAY. I work on these also because I have no idea what's going on in school. It doesn't feel like I'm learning anything right now, and it really freaks me out because I feel like I should be... ANYWAY. Enough about me. Enjoy this new chapter of MJMS!**

**And P.S I planned to have this story at this point all the way back in December. Pretty sad, huh? So, this is a chapter dedicated to Lynne's birthday :P (December 10th)**

**Kashino: Mikashi doesn't own Yumeiro Patissiere.**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 23: Happy Birthday, Right?

After all this time, I finally feel as though things are picking up. It's because it's December, and everyone knows that December means Christmas. Although, more prominently in my mind, my birthday.

December 10th, 15 days before Christmas, is my birthday. I can't believe I'm going to be fourteen years old. It's just that I've felt like being 13, being the age in which you are accepted to St. Marie, has been so short. But who am I to complain? The sweet princes are all older than I am already; Komanda-kun's birthday is in January, Isho-kun's in April. Himoto's birthday went by without my knowledge in September. It just occurred to me a while ago that they're all 14, and I'm the youngest.

This marks my first birthday at St. Marie, and I'm actually very excited. To think, I'll get to do whatever I please for my birthday, since it is a Saturday. As I go to sleep the day before, I'm tingling with anticipation.

XxXxX

When I wake up in the morning, the sunlight has just begun to filter in through the curtain covered windows. I rub my eyes and stretch, peering at my clock. It is 8 in the morning. Hana-chan isn't in bed anymore; I wonder where she could be. I sit up and just kind of stare at the wall for a minute.

Didn't I put an alarm on last night? I guess I didn't wake up to it and Hana-chan turned it off. Or maybe Fraise did? I'm not sure.

From my bedside table, my cell phone buzzes. I pick it up and look through it. A smile takes over my face. I've got two new texts, one from my Mom and one from my Dad.

_Happy Birthday Sweetheart! I hope you have a lovely day. I love you lots, remember! Don't forget to visit sometime. xoxo -Mama :) _

_Happy Birthday Lynne, hoping your day will go well. Mom and I sent your birthday present a couple days ago, should be there now. – Dad_

It's just like always. Mom will be Mom, Dad will be Dad. On all my other birthdays, they would have said this to me in person. I remember Mom coming into my room on all of my birthdays, singing "Happy Birthday TO YOU!" insanely loud, with Dad trailing behind her with my special breakfast; mille crepes, something that is special to Mom and Dad for whatever reason.

Dylan would always come into my room and crawl under the covers with me. I'd feed him a few of the strawberries, while he would just sit quietly, holding onto my arm.

Michael would come in too, spitting off stuff about how it's not that special of a day. But then, you could always tell he really did care.

There's this numbing feeling of emptiness that consumes me for a moment. There's none of Mom's singing in my ears, no Dylan clinging to my side. Hana-chan isn't even here. And speaking of it, Fraise isn't around either.

I try to shake that feeling from me, gently shaking my head. It's my birthday, I shouldn't be feeling so empty. I push the blankets away from me and get out of bed, almost tripping over a box as I do.

My birthday present from Mom and Dad; Hana-chan must have picked it up this morning. I pick it up to examine it, it's a simple cube box wrapped in sparkly pink paper, adorned with a silky magenta ribbon.

Tentatively, I pull on the ribbon and it unravels. I'm not one of those girls who like to preserve wrapping paper. I don't see the point really. I rip apart the wrapping paper and under it is a simple cardboard box. What exactly could Mom and Dad fit in such a small box, anyway?

I'm tempted to shake it, but if something breaks, I'm totally responsible. So instead, I pry the box open. I gasp when I see what's inside.

It's a delicate glass figurine that looks just like the statue of the Sweets Queen at the front of the school. It's made of gorgeous blown glass, tinted a light hue of lilac. It catches the rays of sun coming in through the window as I lift it up. It's beautiful.

I set it down on the side table and I'm about to throw the box out, when I realize there's still more in there. Sitting at the bottom of the cardboard box is a simple brown notebook. It looks really old too, so I don't know what that's all about.

It's closed shut with a little flap, and when I try to open it, it's locked. Now what are my parents doing giving me a locked notebook? I can see a little stub of paper sticking out the top and I pull it out.

_Dear Lynne,_

_Now you might be wondering, why are Mom and Dad giving me a locked notebook? I want you to know, this is your great grandmother's recipe book. She was my greatest inspiration to be a patissiere, much like Dad and I were yours. Inside are recipes of her very own, recipes that reflect my childhood and my memories with her. I'm so proud of you and I believe you should be the one to have them now. I've given the key to someone very close to you, and they've promised to hold onto it until they feel you've found your way, like my grandmother's memory helped me find mine. I love you very much, and I can't wait to see how amazing your journey will be. _

_Love,_

_Mama :)_

I'm very still for a moment, holding the note tight in my hands, the recipe book sitting in my lap. The book belonged to my great grandmother? Mom told me stories about her all the time, and I always wished I could meet her.

The thought that my great grandmother herself held the same notebook, writing down her special recipes, makes me feel excited. I wonder if she had a sweet spirit, and if she was just like Mom.

I wonder who she gave the key to the recipe book to. I can't wait to find out.

But of course, I'll have to find my way first.

Whatever Mom means by that.

I get up shortly after that and get ready for my day. To be honest, I take extra care to look cute today, because today is my special day. Because it's December and it's extremely cold, I don't get to wear cute summer dresses for my birthday, but I do choose something especially nice for today.

I decide to wear my hair down, since I almost always have it up in a ponytail. I wear a magenta cable knit sweater with black tights and my black lace up boots. Checking myself in the mirror once more, I'm finally satisfied and ready to go out.

I don't know where exactly I'm going, but I expected to see one of the Sweet Princes or Hana-chan to wish me happy birthday, but I don't. I see lots of students, many of which I know and greet me, but it's like my friends are missing.

I wonder where they could be.

Last year, my parents took us out to one of my favourite places in the world; Marie's Garden. I know, they work there, but I can't help but love that place. It's where I grew up. My parents have a really demanding job, so Mom was back to work just 6 months after having me. I was always in the shop, being watched by one of the employees, and on their lunch break, Mom and Dad. When I was small, Dad would always sneak me out during his break to buy me candy. I always had to promise not to tell Mom, because she thought he spoiled me too much.

And Mom always questioned why I was so hyper all the time.

I miss them. I miss them a lot more than I thought I would.

There's still no sign of the sweet princes; especially when I could really use their company. Finally, I find myself at Salon de Marie, since it's at the very far end of the campus. I've walked the whole way, with still no sign of my friends. It's sort of frustrating, because I just don't know where they could be.

I was planning on invited them to Salon de Marie with me, so we could all eat sweets together. Since I can't find them, I might as well have some sweets by myself. I open the door and I'm about to go inside, when one of the girls from my class stops me. "Kashino-san!"

I'm slightly startled, since I don't really know her. "What?"

"I'm sorry, but Salon de Marie is closed today."

"... Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm sorry. The high school students are busy studying for exams, so Salon de Marie is closed today," She replies.

"Then why are you here?" I ask curiously. Something doesn't seem right here.

"Oh! I was just cleaning up the shop a bit, that's all. I think I saw the sweet princes a while ago by the lake."

"Thanks for your help..." I respond finally, beginning to walk away. Just what is up today? Everything is turning out all wrong.

I find my way to the lake, and even then there's no sign of anyone. I sit down on the dock and kind of just stare at the frozen water. Clearing away some of the snow resting on the top, I can see the fish swimming under the sheet of ice, all crowded around.

It seems even the fish have more company than I do today.

My phone rings then, and I jump. Could it be one of the sweet princes? I scramble to retrieve it, and quickly press the answer button. "Hello?" I say excitedly.

"Hi Lynnie."

My smile falters for a second. It's not them. However, my smile comes right back again, because of course it's my younger brother. "Hi Dyl!"

"Happy birthday!" He says sweetly. He sounds just like normal. "How's your day been? Hanging out with your three boyfriends?"

Normally, I'd react by saying they're not my boyfriends; but today... "No... I can't find them." I realize that really makes me lonely. My little brother's on the phone with me, because he's miles away from where I sit, here on the docks by myself.

"That's weird," Dylan replies, "You'd think they'd be all over you for your birthday! They really looked like they liked you."

"What's with your use of the past tense? They still like me!"

"Ah, my mistake," He giggles. "Man, I woke up today and I went into your room to be there with you like always. I forgot you aren't here anymore."

I feel a tug at my heart. I kind of wish I was there to be honest. Right now, I'm just sitting here all alone. My friends forgot about my birthday. Worse yet, they aren't even anywhere for me to remind them. I bite on my lip, feeling suddenly very sad. "Mom and Dad kinda did too, Mom was singing happy birthday super loudly while making your birthday breakfast, and then I reminded her you were at St. Marie. She seemed kinda sad about it."

I can picture Mom making that kind of mistake. It's just like her. "Dad didn't really say anything, I think he misses you more than he lets on."

Mom and Dad... Neither of them forgot my birthday. I wish I was at home. I can see me opening the front door and Mom immediately ushering me inside, Dad giving me a hug, even when he doesn't like to show all too much affection; Michael messing up my hair, Dylan clinging to my arm. Tears pool in my eyes before I can stop them.

I want to go home.

I'm so lonely.

"And then Mikee was going on about-"

"... Dyl?"

"Yeah?"

I clear my throat, trying not to let him know I'm crying. "I... I'm going to have to call you back, okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Okay... I'll talk to you later then. I love you Lynnie!"

"... I love you too."

As soon as I hear him click off the line, the tears have started to fall; feeling strangely warm on my cold skin. I stand up, and turn; running toward the campus gate. I'm going home, after all, there's no one to stop me.

Tears blur my vision to the point where I don't even know if I'm going in the right direction. I've never felt this homesick before. I've always been surrounded by friends, to the point where I forgot about my family. But now, with them all unreachable, I realize, I really do have no one.

Just where are they anyway? Could they possibly be sick of me? I know I'm annoying, bossy, and sometimes even mean, but could I have been the one to chase them away? That thought makes me sick. I don't want to chase anyone away. I'm just being who I am.

"Hey..."

I hear someone's voice. But I don't know where it's coming from. It echoes in my head, almost like it's watered down.

"Kashino! Hey Kashi-"

And before it, I've run into someone. I try to stop crying, but at this point, I couldn't control it, even if I tried. I forcefully wipe the tears away, trying to focus in on who I've just run into.

He's tall and his blond hair. His arms are wrapped around me, and I've realized if he hadn't been, I'd probably have fallen over. He looks like Dad... "D-Dad?" I stammer, confused for a moment.

"What are you talking about? Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

My body feels numb. No.

It's...

Himoto.

XxXxX

Himoto's arms are around me and he leans in closely, confused as to what's going on. To be quite honest, I'm confused too. Why now? How come he has to see me when I'm like this? "Hey Kashino... What's wrong?" He asks again. His expression shows concern, "Hey... Hey... Why are you crying?"

I can't even answer. My knees buckle and I'm about to slip, when he tightens his hold on me. "I-I..." I sniffle, trying to get a thought in, "I..."

He has this slightly panicked look in his eye. "Okay, hold on. Calm down." He looks around, "You don't need to cry..." People are stopping to stare at us. He bites down on his lip, which is slightly ironic, since he always tells me not to. "Hold on."

Before I know it, he's scooped me up and is running; bringing me somewhere. Where, I don't know. Into the trees, away from prying eyes; I can't really think straight. But he's carrying me like a princess.

He stops in that clearing in the trees he took me to, all the way back in autumn. The leaves no longer cover the place, but the bare branches are dusted with snow, filtering in the December sun. Himoto puts me down on my feet, before taking off his jacket and laying it on the ground. He directs me to sit down on it, so that I'm not sitting in the snow.

He kneels down in front of me, tentatively reaching forward. When I don't argue, he wipes the tears from my cheeks. "It's okay... What's wrong?"

I'm such an idiot. Why am I crying? Why is everything so wrong? I hate this feeling I'm having. So extremely homesick, yet that can't be the only reason. I'm crying for reasons I don't even understand myself.

"I-I don't know," I stammer finally, hiccupping as I do so, "I-I don't know!"

Fresh tears begin to well up in my eyes, and suddenly I can feel Himoto holding onto my shoulders, "Hey, hey Kashino. Calm down, it's okay."

I sniffle, before finally wiping my eyes and looking at him straight. He gives me an awkward smile, seeing that I've calmed down, if only the slightest bit, "Is everything okay?"

When I shake my head, he sighs, and sits beside me. I scoot over so he can sit on his jacket too. "I miss them, I miss them so much."

"... Your family?"

"Y-yeah."

"I'm going to guess it's your first birthday away from them, isn't it?"

I look at him, "You remembered?"

"Of course I did, you're my friend after all, right?"

"But I didn't remember yours..."

"Because I didn't tell you," He replies, "But that's beside the point. You miss your family because this is your first birthday away from home, right?"

"... Yeah."

He leans back on the tree behind us, looking up into the sky, "I know what it feels like; with a different context, but you know what I mean."

"What do you mean?"

"I remember my 5th birthday like nothing else," Himoto responds, "My first birthday since my parents died, my first birthday in the orphanage. Not a single person there remembered, and if they did, they didn't care. Man, it was lonely."

"That sounds awful."

"Well, because it was," He says, though there's a gleam in his eye, and I know he's trying to make me feel better. "It was so terribly lonely, but then there was also that feeling that came with it that was the worst. Just this intense feeling of sadness, I couldn't explain."

Does he know exactly how I feel? There's a lot more to him than I realize. "Himoto..."

"That's how you feel, isn't it?" He asks. He turns to me, giving me a sympathetic smile, "It doesn't make much sense."

"It doesn't."

He laughs softly, "It gets better. I promise." His hand rests on my head; I get the strangest feeling of comfort from his simple action. "I know I don't usually act like this... And I know you don't act like you are now, but let's forget about it for a while, okay?"

It occurs to me that Himoto really doesn't act this way. He's a lot harsher, and blunt, but this side of him... I like it too. "O-okay."

"Loneliness is one of the worst feelings in the world, to feel like you don't belong, or no one cares, or everyone's moved on without you. But then, in your loneliness, you never really notice there are people around you that do care."

_"Yeah, and no one cares! It'd be fine if our family didn't include me, you guys wouldn't care!"_

It's like I can hear Dylan's voice in my head, from that time I went home to help him with his cake for Akemi. It's just like what I told him. He thinks the family doesn't care about him. My lonely younger brother, thinking he's all alone when Mom, Dad, Michael and I all love him very much.

"You're never really alone Kashino," Himoto says, "Because you've got so many people who like you. You have this sort of magic to you, people always feel good around you, because you make them feel good about themselves."

Magic? I've always been nothing special. Really, I've never felt the need to be extravagant.

"You mean a lot to so many people," Himoto assures me. Before I know it, his arm drapes around my shoulders, "Your family, Hiriko, Isho, Komanda... Even me. So I don't want you to feel alone."

"H-Himoto..." He's got me crying all over again, though this time it's just tears silently trailing down my cheeks. He's quick to wipe them away.

Standing up, he takes my hand and lifts me up. He shakes the snow off his jacket before zipping it up. "Come on, I'll show you just how much people care."

I question how, but he doesn't say.

He doesn't let go of my hand either.

XxXxX

Himoto takes me to Salon de Marie. I thought that girl from my class told me it was closed. I notice now that the windows are covered up, so that I can't see inside. "Himoto, what's going on?" I ask curiously. He smirks at me before twisting the hand he's holding mine with and pinning it behind my back. "H-hey!" He reaches for my other hand, holding them secure behind me. I try to fight back, but he easily keeps them still with one hand. Covering my eyes with his free hands, he leads me forward; I'm blind to it all.

"Himoto! What are you-?"

"SURPRISE!"

I almost scream, startled at the eruption of noise. Himoto removes his hands from my eyes and I adjust my focus. Salon de Marie is empty, except for Hana-chan, Isho-kun, Komanda-kun and all the sweets spirits. There's a cake on the table, reading "Happy Birthday Lynne!" I'm stunned for a moment, before realizing everything.

They've been working on this all day. That's why I haven't seen them. And here I thought they had forgotten, worst yet, not wanted to be my friend anymore. Immediately I regret my previous feelings of loneliness. Himoto was right. There are a lot of people who care about me.

Almost as if he can read my mind, when I look at him, Himoto raises his eyebrows, as if to say, "See! I told you."

I laugh, right before Hana-chan comes up and gives me a really big hug, "Happy Birthday Lynne-chan!"

Returning her hug, I thank her immensely, "Oh Hana-chan, this is spectacular, thank you so much!"

She blushes, replying sheepishly, "It was really all the sweet princes' idea, I just helped out because they asked me to."

"You are her best friend though, right?" Isho-kun asks, coming up and giving me a hug as well, "Happy birthday Lynne-chan."

Hana-chan is still blushing, looking at Isho-kun with a sort of bashful look, "Well yeah... B-but to work with people so skilled like you... I'm not really anything special in comparison."

Isho-kun smiles that princely smile at her, "I think you're plenty special Hana-chan."

She giggles, her tone slightly panicked from getting such attention. "So, Lynne-chan, do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! You guys are the best friends in the world!"

"We just wanted to show you how much we appreciate and care about you," Komanda-kun adds, stepping forward and giving me a hug, "Happy birthday Kashino-chan."

All of them look at Himoto, who technically hasn't greeted me yet. He's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His face has returned to it's typical stoic like expression. "Ka-kun... Aren't you going to wish Lynne-chan happy birthday?" Komanda-kun asks.

He smirks, before stepping up toward me. He stares at me for a while before saying, "Happy birthday Kashino."

Hana-chan, Isho-kun, and Komanda-kun are all smiling like idiots; for what reason I don't know. "Come on, just give her a hug already," Isho-kun interjects.

Himoto sighs, before leaning forward slightly and giving me a friendly hug. Under his breath, he whispers in my ear, "As if I haven't hugged you enough today, huh?"

I blush at this, suddenly feeling embarrassed to have been sobbing uncontrollably in front of him. What could he possibly be thinking about me now?

He pulls away from me, and I'm almost tempted to pull him back. I catch myself before I do it. What am I thinking? My thoughts wander backward; I must have looked like a total idiot. Himoto didn't care; all he cared about was if I was okay and if I was feeling better.

My heart skips a beat. Underneath it all, he really is a thoughtful person. He really is different from the guy I met back in September, who I thought I would hate for the rest of my life. We've gotten so much closer since then, haven't we?

"Lynne-chan, make a wish!" Hana-chan says cheekily, breaking me out of my thoughts. She pushes toward this beautiful birthday cake with 14 glittery candles. Hana-chan beams happily, "Ready? Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you!" Isho-kun joins on; along with Komanda-kun and even if Hana-chan can't see them, the sweets spirits. Reluctantly, Himoto sings along quietly, "Happy birthday dear Lynne... Happy birthday to you!"

I think of a wish. What do I want to wish for? I look around the room; I'm surrounded by people who care about me, and love me for who I am. Though, when I look around at all of them, Himoto sticks in my mind. Why though? What do I want that he's the first person to come into my mind?

Everyone's waiting for me, so I quickly make up my wish.

_I wish that I'll get to be closer to everyone... Especially... Especially Himoto._

And I blow out the candles and everyone cheers. They don't notice the red blush taking over my face. I wonder if my wish will come true... I take a look at Komanda-kun and Himoto who are casually talking. Himoto laughs at something Komanda-kun says. He looks really cute when he laughs.

I catch myself thinking these things. W-what am I doing?

"Come on Lynne-chan, let's have fun!" Hana says happily. She begins to play music from a stereo, "We've cleared enough space to have a little dance party. Let's do it!"

Isho-kun smiles at me, "As much as I'd love to dance with the birthday celebrant, I think there's someone better suited in mind."

"What?" I ask.

Isho-kun doesn't answer me however, instead, he takes hold of Hana-chan's hand, "So, fair maiden, can I have this dance?"

"Ah-" Hana blushes sweetly, "S-sure."

"Kashino?"

I watch Isho-kun lead Hana-chan out into the little space they've cleared, how his arms slips around her waist and her hand gently fits into his. They look so cute.

"Yeah Himoto?"

"Komanda told me to ask you, and this is _only _because it's your birthday..." He extends his hand out to me rather bluntly, "Do you want to dance?"

I think about the wish I made. Could wishes really come true? I look at Komanda-kun who's just waiting for me to say yes. "Sure, why not?" I reply. He rolls his eyes before taking hold of my hand and leading me to where Isho-kun and Hana-chan are.

One of the best decisions I've ever made.

XxXxX

At the end of the day, Hana-chan sits on my bed, braiding my hair. "You're the best friend ever Hana-chan," I tell her sweetly. "I can't believe you did so much for me."

"Well, I wasn't just going to let your birthday pass by!" She says happily. She continues to braid, before tying off the end. Her voice shifts into something a little more serious, "Hey Lynne-chan, can I tell you a secret?"

"What kind of secret?"

"A best friend, you can't tell anyone, kind of secret."

"Okay, I promise I won't tell."

Her cheeks are dusted a rosy shade of red, "You're good friends with Isho-kun, right?"

"Yeah," I say slowly, "why?"

"I kinda... I kinda like him. You know, in that 'like-like' way so to speak," She admits finally.

"Really?" I ask, my lips curling up into a smirk, "Since when?"

"Oh for a while... I've just always looked up to them because they're so prestigious, and today getting to spend time with him... I really do like him a lot."

I give her an assuring smile, "That really is pretty cute Hana-chan."

"Aw, thanks," She murmurs, "I just thought I'd tell you, since we're friends and all."

"It's great that you trust me," I say happily, "And if I can say, I think he likes you too." I really am not alone. I've got wonderful friends who will support me all the way.

"R-really?" Hana-chan asks. She doesn't let me answer however, quickly changing the topic, "Anyway Lynne-chan, what did you wish for on your birthday candles?"

"H-huh?"

_I wish that I'll get to be closer to everyone... Especially... Especially Himoto._

I can feel my face turning red all over again, "N-nothing special!"

"Aw, Lynne-chan you're blushing!"

"Am not!"

Hana-chan shrugs, "It's okay, if you told me, it wouldn't come true anyway. I support you whatever your wish may be, I sure hope it comes true!"

After that, Hana-chan goes to bed. I sit in bed for a while, turning the recipe book Mom gave me in my hands, my wish to be closer to Himoto...

I kind of hope it comes true too.

* * *

**Me: Annnnd, just as a heads up. I know the past 3 chapters have basically been well.. filler. There have been important characterization pieces, but I guess it's still mostly filler. REGARDLESS, the next chapter goes back into the main plot, so look forward to it! :)**

**Thanks again to all you amazing readers/favouriters(still not a word)/followers/reviewers!**

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	24. Christmas, The Festive Season

**Me: HELLO! I'm back! With a festive chapter of MJMS no less! Christmas time FTW. I think Christmas holds something special to me, since my birthday is so close to Christmas! I hope you enjoy! :)**

**I Do Not Own Yumeiro Patissiere!**

* * *

My Journey, My Story

Chapter 24: Christmas, The Festive Season!

"Ah! The air feels so festive!" I say happily, leaning against the kitchen counter. Today in baking class, we're making peppermint cookies for the upcoming Christmas season. Already, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Outside, the teachers have begun to string up the trees with fairy lights. Paired with the freshly laid snow, the air is charged with holiday cheer.

"It's exciting isn't it?" Isho-kun says. He's drying the dishes we've used this class, while Komanda-kun washes them.

"Definitely!" I agree, "Christmas is the best holiday in the world."

"Why's that Kashino-chan?" Komanda-kun asks.

"Because you get to give everyone presents," I say dreamily, "I love the look on people's faces when you give them an extra special gift, it's the best feeling ever."

Himoto snickers, "Hm. I would have thought you'd like Christmas because of all the gifts _you _would get."

"I'm not that selfish!"

"So you're admitting you're somewhat selfish?"

"Mou, you devil!"

He shrugs, ditching the argument to take the cookies out of the oven. Ever since my birthday, Himoto's gone back to how he's always been; blunt, rude and always making fun of me.

"It's okay Kashino-chan, you know how Ka-kun can be," Komanda-kun assures me.

"Yeah I know."

"I can still hear the both of you, you know," Himoto says from his spot at the oven.

I giggle, "I think you were supposed to."

"Baka, you make no sense."

Once the cookies cool down, the star to decorate them. Today, we made petit circle cookies, while tomorrow we're making gingerbread houses for the piyo piyo kindergarten. My mom told me back when she was at St. Marie, they made cakes and stuff for the same kindergarten. She warned me to never leave my cake designs out in the open. She didn't tell me why though.

I'm decorating my cookies with icing, drawing different Christmas symbols on them; candy canes, mistletoe, reindeer... It's all so magical.

I look over at the sweet princes work, Isho-kun as usual is making the most elaborate designs, Komanda-kun's are similar to mine, and Himoto... "AH! What is that?!"

His cookie is smeared with white icing and he's decorating it with some scary monster thing. He smirks at me, "What? Does it _scare_ you?"

"WHAT IS IT?! THAT HAS NOTHING TO WITH CHRISTMAS!"

He picks it up, taunting me by pushing it near me, "Are you scared Kashino? You wanna eat it? It'd be so good!"

"Get that demonic cookie away from me!"

Himoto laughs, before finally eating the cookie himself, "Man, you're so easily frightened."

"It's Christmas season, don't ruin Christmas cookies with things like that!"

He ruffles my hair, causing me to cry out, "Aw, Kashino, you've got no sense of humor."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"Seems like you two are back to before," Isho-kun finally injects. Him and Komanda-kun are watching us fight, and I feel myself blush. Now that I think about it, lately Himoto's been really nice to me. I guess good things can only last for so long.

"Whatever," I reply stubbornly, glaring at Himoto I say, "If you could just decorate Christmas cookies properly, we wouldn't be fighting."

"Fine, fine, I'll do it _your _way," He rolls his eyes. Going back to his work, he murmurs under his breath, _"Even if it's wrong." _

I'm not even going to bother anymore.

"Well done A Group," Aunt Lemon says later on, as she looks over our cookies. She picks one up and quickly tastes it. "Full points as usual." Before moving on to the next group however, she says, "I have one thing to mention to you about the grand prix."

My ears perk up, "What is it?"

"I'm going to be hosting a reputation point event this Christmas Eve, and I hope you'll join in."

"Of course we will," Himoto says.

"What's going to be happening?" Komanda-kun asks.

"I'll be inviting kids from Piyo Piyo kindergarten to come here and make Christmas cakes with teams that choose to compete. Whichever team can help one of the children make the best cake will be awarded with 20 points. Of course, you can't make the cake for them. They have to be involved."

I love working with little kids. It sounds like so much fun! "That sounds so cute!" I gush happily. I remember being little and making cakes with my little brother, little kids baking are truly adorable.

"Working with little kids huh?" Himoto says once Aunt Lemon moves on to the next group.

"What's wrong, you scared of little kids Himoto?" I tease.

He sneers, "You wish, Kashino."

XxXxX

A few days before Christmas Eve, Hana-chan and I decide to go out Christmas shopping. Obviously, I've had presents for my family ready for a while now; but I still need to buy things for my friends. Hana-chan and I are out shopping for our presents for the sweet princes; in Hana-chan's case, especially Isho-kun's.

"So what's this thing about a reputation points event this Christmas?" She asks me.

We're walking through a supermarket, taking a peek at their seasonal section for any Christmas presents. "We're going to be helping kids from the kindergarten bake Christmas cakes for their families. Isn't that cute?"

"Sounds totally cute! Did you find out who you and the princes are paired up with?"

"Yeah, we got the info a while ago," I reply casually. Picking up a box of peppermint chocolates, I put them in our basket for us to snack on later. "I got the bio sheet the other day, I have to go over it with the sweet princes when we get back."

"One day I'm going to join the grand prix and join in on the fun too," Hana-chan sighs, before continuing, "So who's your little cutie from the kindergarten going to be?"

"His name is Jonathan," I reply, "Kiritaga Jonathan."

"He has a very Americanized name," Hana-chan remarks, "But his last name sounds Japanese."

"I thought the same thing; he's half Japanese, half American." I pull the slightly crumpled form from my pocket. "Here's the sheet I'm supposed to show the sweet princes."

Jonathan is a small child, from what I can tell. He seems to be as tall as I was when I was in kindergarten, which is pretty tiny. He has dark black hair, which seems to come from his Asian heritage, paired with blue eyes, which must be from his American heritage. Likewise, his skin is just a few shades lighter than mine of Hana-chan's. "Aw, he's adorable!" Hana-chan squeals excitedly, "He'll be great to work with, I'm going to guess."

"I sure hope so; imagine what it would be like to get a bratty kid and trying to make sweets with them?"

"Torture, I would guess?"

"No duh."

I stuff the bio sheet back in my pocket for later, "Now, what do you think the sweet princes would want for Christmas?"

"It's hard to say," Hana-chan remarks, "Because they're so different! I think I'm going to give Christmas cards to all of them."

"Though, something special for Isho-kun, I would think, right?" I tease her.

She blushes, swatting me away with her hands, "W-well of course!" She stammers, clearly embarrassed, "I'm going to make him a Christmas sweet..."

"Aw, you're so cute Hana-chan."

"Oh, shut up!" She says. Then she looks at me with that mischievous look of hers, "Speaking of special presents, what are you getting Himoto-kun for his Christmas present?"

Now it's my turn to blush. "Oh come on, he's not getting a special present. I'm giving the sweet princes all something equal!"

"Aw, come on Lynne-chan, you know Himoto-kun is special to you!"

"I so doubt that," I roll my eyes, as we walk into the next store aisle, "He's been so mean to me, ever since my birthday."

Hana-chan sighs, "Guys never make sense. But I still think it's totally obvious Himoto-kun likes you."

"Stop it!" I laugh, "Himoto and I are friends, nothing more, nothing less. Okay?"

"Okay, fine, fine. I surrender," Hana-chan jokes, sticking her tongue out at me. She looks through the Christmas cards lined up along the aisle's shelves. "Now, which Christmas cards would the sweet princes like?"

"I don't know," I respond, helping her sort through them. Hana-chan settles on a box of generic Christmas cards, with different patterns of red, green, and white with many Christmas symbols. However, I notice her also taking a more noteworthy card, most likely for Isho-kun.

I feel bad for missing all of the sweet princes' birthdays. So, I plan on making it up to them this Christmas. For Isho-kun, I pick a dark green Christmas card with gingerbread men and different Christmas candies, because candy art is his specialty. For Komanda-kun, a white and red stripped card with peppermint candy canes, because he told me that they were his favourite Christmas treats the other day. Himoto's card is the hardest for me to choose; partly because most of the Christmas cards are too cheesy for his kind of personality. So instead, I decide to choose a card that suits him least, as a joke; a bright red card with cute chibi children hanging stockings over their fireplace. Humorously enough, the card also sings 'we wish you a merry Christmas' when you open it.

"Himoto-kun's going to kill you for that," Hana-chan laughs, when I show it to her.

"Let him then."

Our last stop before going back to St. Marie is to buy ingredients for Hana-chan's sweet for Isho-kun. She's making some sort of peppermint sweet. "I hope he likes it," She replies sheepishly, as she loads the basket with different ingredients.

"I'm sure if it's from you, he'll like it regardless," I assure her.

"Oh, I wish I was good friends with him like you are!"

"If you were, I doubt he'd see you the way he sees you now. I think he looks at me like a little sister."

"Lynne-chan, if you hadn't noticed, he was head over heels crushing on you at the beginning of the year."

"R-really?!"

Hana-chan laughs, "You really are a dense one, aren't you?"

"Oh stop it," I shove her playfully. "Let's just go pay for your stuff, huh?"

As we stand in line for the check out, something on the magazine rack catches my eye. Between the tabloids and candy bars, there's a small section of earphones. They're all sort of Christmas themed, being different shades of red or green. I think back to before the tag team competition at the sweets festival, when Himoto was telling me about these French grammar songs he found. His earphones were a little beat up, weren't they?

Before I know it, I've put a package of one, dark green, onto the checkout counter. Why not? He needs them after all, doesn't he?

XxXxX

"So this Kiritaga kid is the one we're making Christmas cakes with?" Himoto asks later. We all sit in Salon de Marie, having chocolat chaud, discussing Jonathan's bio the kindergarten sent us.

"He likes to be called Jonathan," I remind him, pointing to the biography again, "He just moved from America, so he's used to be called by his first name."

"Yeah, okay, whatever," Himoto says, "So this Jonathan kid is going to be making cakes with us for the reputation point event?"

"Yeah, he's cute isn't he?" I reply happily, "I'm sure he'll be fun to work with."

"They're kids, I don't think it matters which one, they're all the same; as annoying as an alarm clock on Saturday morning."

"Himoto! That's not nice to say."

Isho-kun rolls his eyes, "Just ignore him; he doesn't know anything about kids. He's the only one who had no siblings."

"Because that's _my _fault," He snubs back, clearly agitated. I don't think Himoto takes comments about family very well, considering his circumstances. So I try to change the topic.

"What kind of cake should we make with him? It has to be easy enough for a four year old to make."

"Fair point," Komanda-kun interjects, "But then, it also has to impress the judges that will be judging the event."

"Simple but delicious," Isho-kun agrees.

"I would say that gingerbread is one of the most common flavours at Christmas time," Himoto adds on.

"Is it easy enough to make?" Komanda-kun asks.

A gingerbread cake is basically a cake made with molasses and different spices, depending on what country it's from; though, most predominantly cinnamon and ginger. Likewise, white sugar is substituted for brown sugar, to add to the overall richness and brown colour of the cake. In America, ground cloves are often added to gingerbread cakes.

That fact particularly makes me think of Jonathan, because he's from America. "Why don't we make an American gingerbread cake?" I say, "It should be easy enough for him to make, because gingerbread is simple. Plus, it'll remind him of home!"

"Not too shabby Kashino," Himoto teases me, smirking in his typical way. Though he sighs and agrees, "I think that's fine."

"Likewise, I agree," Komanda-kun says.

"I think it's settled then, we'll make an American gingerbread cake," Isho-kun nods along.

"Alright, Team Lynne, we got this!" I cheer happily.

On Christmas Eve, I'm very excited. It is Christmas after all. I'm getting ready for the Christmas event, taking care to utilize my holiday spirit. I wear a Santa styled shirt, its red, with fluffy white cotton on the collar of the neck and the edge of the sleeves. I wear dark jeans and red shoes to match; gingerbread men earrings and like always, my charm necklace, still adorned with the charms that Mom, Dad, and Dylan had given me.

The event is being held in the high school kitchen classroom, since it's bigger than the middle school classroom. When I get there, there are teams setting up their stations, and many families standing around looking for where there child was assigned.

Isho-kun waves at me from across the room and I hurry over. Like usual, the sweet princes have dressed with eventful spirit. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun have on green shirts, while Himoto has on a red one, with a similar shade to mine. "Merry Christmas Lynne-chan," Isho-kun says sweetly.

"Merry Christmas!" I reply cheekily, "Merry Christmas to you too Komanda-kun, Himoto."

"Merry Christmas Kashino-chan," Komanda-kun greets back politely.

Himoto just brushes me off, "It's not even Christmas yet. It's only Christmas Eve."

"That's still Christmas!"

"Fine," He sighs, a smirk playing on his lips, "Merry _almost _Christmas Kashino."

... It's close enough.

"Oh, Jonathan, look there! There's the team that's going to take good care of you!" I see a family of four slowly approaching us. The woman, presumably Jonathan's mother looks quite like him. She has the same dark hair, while the man beside her, Jonathan's father has light brown eyes and the same blue eyes as his son. He's also holding a little baby girl, who has his brown hair and blue eyes. I'm going to guess it's Jonathan's sister.

Jonathan himself is wearing Christmas colours I'm sure his parents picked out for him; a green shirt that reads, "I Love Santa" on the back. His face is flushed and I can immediately tell he's super shy. After all, he has that look to him that my brother had and still has around people he's not comfortable with. Traits of a shy person.

He clings to his mother's side, his bottom lip sticking out ever so slightly, totally unwilling to let go. "Hello Jonathan, my name is Lynne, how are you?" I ask nicely, kneeling down to his height, so I'm not towering over him.

"F-fine," He stammers choppily. I suspect because he's from America, his Japanese is a little unsteady.

"Pardon him," His mother says, "He's a little shy."

"Oh that's alright," I assure her, "I have a little brother, and he was always super shy!" I look at Jonathan again, "We're going to make yummy Christmas cakes for you and your family. How does that sound?"

He looks up at his mother, who nods, gesturing him to answer. "G-good," He responds sheepishly, "I wanna... I wanna make cakes with you."

"Mommy and Daddy will be back later to taste your cake, okay Jonathan?" His mother says, "I'm sure it will be delicious!"

"Don't go!" Jonathan exclaims, tightening his grasp on his mother's pants, "Stay!"

"Oh sweetie, I can't do that. I have to go for a little bit, so you can make your cake!"

"It's okay Jonathan, I'll be here! We can make cakes together!" I assure him, gently reaching out to take his hand.

He whimpers, burying his face into his mother's legs, shying away from me. "Oh, I was afraid this would happen," His mother says. "I'm sorry about this." She tries to pry the boy from her, "Come on Jonathan! Mommy promises this will be fun! I'll be back very soon too, but you gotta let me leave first!"

"She really means it you know."

I look up and Himoto is standing behind me. I shoot him a look, as if to say, 'What are you doing?' and he just looks back at me, trying to say, 'Just let me handle it.'

He walks over to where Jonathan stands with his mother, "Your mom will be back, you know? She promises, and moms keep their promises." The way he says it almost sounds sad. I wonder if Himoto's parents promised him they would come back that night in the rain.

Jonathan looks up at him, with a questioningly look. Himoto is almost as tall as his dad. Honestly, paired with his stoic expression, even I would be scared of him if I were as small as Jonathan. And I actually _know _Himoto as a person.

However, to my surprise, Jonathan reaches out and takes hold of Himoto's hand, which he extends toward him. "My name is Kazuye, what's yours?"

"Jonathan," He says sheepishly, a pink blush adorning his small face.

Himoto smiles at him, in a friendly way, "It's nice to meet you Jonathan." Himoto leads Jonathan over to our station and I can't help but smile. Even though Himoto says he finds little kids annoying, he sure is great with them.

XxXxX

"Do you know what kind of cake we're going to make Jonathan?" I ask him kindly, after Isho-kun and Komanda-kun have introduced themselves to him.

He shakes his head and Isho-kun says, "We're going to make gingerbread cake, just like they do in America!"

"Would you like that?" I say, smiling.

He seems excited to hear something familiar, and nods enthusiastically. He really isn't the type to talk at all.

"Alright teams, the time restriction for this event is 2 hours. Remember; make sure your child is involved in the making of these special Christmas sweets. Are you ready?" Aunt Lemon announces to the whole room.

There's a chorus of "Yes!" and "Ready!" throughout the room, and she starts the timer. Right away, we begin to work on our sweet. The base of a gingerbread cake is like that of any other, beginning with creaming the butter and sugar. Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are at work measuring and cutting up slices of butter, leaving Himoto and I to help Jonathan with sugar.

"You wanna help me measure out sugar?" I ask.

His immediate reaction is to shake his head, turning bright red, "N-no."

"Are you sure?" I wonder, wondering if he's just too shy to say what he really wants.

He nods furiously, and I can't help but feel bad for him. He really is too timid for his own good. "How about this?" Himoto is quick to intervene, "Do you wanna sit on the counter and watch me and Kashino do it? I know when I was little; I loved watching my mom bake." Jonathan stares for a while, before finally agreeing; upon which Himoto bends down and hoists the boy up on top of the counter. "How much sugar do we need Kashino?" He asks, pulling open a bag of sugar.

"2 ½ cups."

He measures out the first cup of sugar, gently pouring it into the stationary mixer's bowl. He hands it to me and I measure out the next one. All the while, Jonathan watches curiously, his bright blue eyes sparkling in excitement. "Here Jonathan," Himoto says, handing him a half cup of sugar, "Why don't you try? Just like me and Kashino."

Hesitantly, Jonathan takes the sugar from him and leans over to pour it into the bowl. Though it's a simple task, his expression lightens immediately. I remember when I was young; the small things always seemed so special. "That's great!" I say happily.

Jonathan grins for the first time, "T-thank you!"

"Oh my, getting so worked up about pouring sugar, how _precious_."

I can feel chills running down my spine, I know her voice anywhere. Why now of all times? Beside me, Himoto flinches, backing up against the counter. "Maya, what are you doing?" I demand, sending her a steely gaze, to which she brushes off lightly.

"Lynne, I thought you would know me well enough! I of course am part of this competition too! I _am _aiming for a spot in the grand prix, just like you." She flicks her curls behind her shoulders, swiftly pushing her bangs away from her face, "I wouldn't be so thankful of a kid pouring sugar of all things."

I can feel my face starting to flush red. What is wrong with her? Beside me, the tips of Jonathan's ears are starting to turn red. Just when he was starting to open up, Maya has to go and ruin everything.

"From what I can tell, you're already going to simple. Pouring sugar is considered a praiseworthy task to you? How pathetic, Lynne. I expected better standards from you."

Beside Maya, a young girl about the same age as Jonathan stands by her side, "You gotta go big or go home!" She exclaims, adding onto Maya's sentence. The young girl is actually quite pretty. She has dark brown hair that is cut freshly right above her shoulders and jewel like green eyes. Though, I can't say the same for her personality. She looks at both Jonathan and I with an almost smug expression on her face.

"That's right Hokori-chan," Maya trills, "And you know Maya-nee-chan is going to make you an amazing, extravagant cake!"

"Jonathan and I are going to make an amazing cake! It's already going great!" I argue back. I feel Jonathan come closer to me, holding onto my jeans with his hands. He must be feeling shy again.

"Whatever Lynne," Maya rolls her eyes, "Come on Hokori-chan, we've been in the presence of amateurs too long."

Hokori follows Maya before turning around briefly to stick her tongue out at Jonathan. I feel him flinch from beside me. He seems to be very sensitive, especially to her. "I can't wait to see ya' mess up Johnny Apple!" Hokori snickers, before hurrying after Maya.

Jonathan's cheeks are bright red, and his eyes are shiny with tears. "Hey, it's okay," I say, "They're just mean people! We're going to make an amazing cake. Okay?"

He nods, though he's quaking the whole time. "Nothing to worry about," Isho-kun contributes, followed by the agreement of Komanda-kun and Himoto.

Jonathan calms down a little, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands, "O-okay."

XxXxX

After the encounter with Maya, Jonathan seems to have retreated farther into a shell instead of opening up more. He's talking to sweet princes and I, so that's not what I'm worried about. However, he refuses to help now, and he needs to be helping so that our participation is fair. After all, it's against the rules to make the cake without him. Instead, he follows me around, still holding onto me. Even with how troublesome it is to move around when he's stuck to my side, I don't have the heart to tell him to let go.

"Hey Jonathan, do you want to help me with this?" I ask him. I'm mixing the cake batter so that all the ingredients become fully incorporated. He looks up at me with fear in his eyes, being quick to shake his head and refuse.

"You must want to do something," Himoto says from beside me, "Baking is a lot of fun! You seemed to be enjoying yourself pouring sugar."

Jonathan whimpers, pressing his face against my legs, "I don't wanna m-mess up." Himoto and I exchange glances as he begins sniffling. "I d-don't wanna get made fun of f-for messing up!" He replies tearfully. He starts to cry, which just breaks my heart.

"You couldn't mess anything up Jonathan!" I say softly, kneeling down on my knees.

I pull him into a hug, and he snuggles his head into the crook of neck, "H-Hokori s-said I would," He admits, "She makes fun of me lots, callin' me Johnny Apple, just cause I'm clumsy and m-mess up lots. I don't wanna ruin the cake!"

All the sweet princes are looking upon him with concern, as am I. "Oh don't listen to her," I say gently, smoothing down his hair, "Do you know why she makes fun of you so much?"

He shakes his head, looking at me intently, "No. W-why?"

"She's jealous, of course!" I reply matter-of-factly, "She's putting you down to feel better about herself. You're amazing Jonathan, there's no way you could mess up this cake, because it's yours!"

"B-but I could do somethin' wrong," He murmurs, "I mix stuff up lots."

"Let me tell you a story," Himoto says, kneeling down beside me to look Jonathan in the eye. "When I was your age, my mom wanted me to help her make a cake for a birthday party, and I didn't want to."

"You?" Jonathan replies quietly, "You're good with sweets!"

"Not when I was little," Himoto answers, "I was too scared to try and help because I was afraid of doing something wrong and making my mom mad. She asked me why I was scared and I told her. You know what she said to me?"

"What?" Jonathan asks.

"Even if you screw up, it doesn't matter," Himoto says, "your cake could be made perfectly, but would never be as delicious as a cake made with the feelings of happiness and love."

"Ka-kun is correct," Komanda-kun adds, "She said things like that all the time, the feelings you put in a cake are much more important than the not making mistakes, it's the feelings that make people smile when they eat your cake."

"Especially at Christmas time, everyone is very happy, right?" Isho-kun agrees, "No matter what cake you give your family, they'll love it because you made it."

Jonathan purses his lips together tightly, before he smiles, if only slightly. His lips tremble as he does so, but he grins anyway, "I wanna make my mommy and daddy happy!"

"Then help us make this cake, so we can make your mom and dad super proud," I cheer him off, sweetly ruffling his hair.

He laughs for the first time, "I wanna help! I wanna!"

Himoto picks him up, setting him on the counter, "Help me mix this cake mix then!" He says nicely, handing a wooden spoon to him. Jonathan smiles and quickly takes up the task with his help. I watch, with a smile on my face. "Despite how annoying he says kids are, he really is good with them," Komanda-kun says, seeing me watch the two of them.

I blush, "Yeah, w-whatever. He definitely isn't good to _me_!" I scoff, before going off to help him with a task.

"You'd be surprised," Komanda-kun mumbles under his breath.

XxXxX

In the end, Jonathan helps out a little bit in almost every aspect of the cake; mixing the cake batter with Himoto, helping Isho-kun add food colouring to the cake's icing, and putting the cake in the oven with Komanda-kun. When it's my turn with him, all we have to do is decorate the cake. The cake is covered in white fondant, and all that's left is to decorate it with Christmas candies and the red and green icing we made.

"What do you want to draw on the cake Jonathan?" I ask, holding up a piping bag.

"I wanna draw my family," He says, holding his own smaller piping bag filled with red icing. I help him hold onto it properly and lead him into drawing different stick figures for his family. The tallest is his father's, with a head of spiky hair. Second is his mother, with hair to her shoulders, holding his baby sister. Lastly is Jonathan himself, a stick figure similar to his father's, but much shorter. Using the wider tipped piping bag, I draw a large Christmas tree beside the happy family. Jonathan uses different candies as ornaments, sticking them into the icing. Lastly, I help him write out 'Merry Christmas' in English at the bottom of the cake.

"All finished!" I cheer happily.

Jonathan's eyes are wide with delight, and he grins wildly, "Wow! I-it's so pretty!"

"And how does it feel to know you helped?" I ask him.

"Really good!" He exclaims, "I think mommy and daddy are gonna be super happy!"

I give him a high five, "Of course they will be!"

As I say this, Aunt Lemon announces from the front of the room, "Okay teams! Times up, I will be coming around to take a look at your cakes."

Aunt Lemon makes her way around, and I listen in carefully as she approaches Maya's team. "Now, what do we have here?" The cake Team Maya and Hokori's cake is gigantic. It's frosted a flashy pink, with silver candy balls. Actually, I don't see what it has to do with Christmas at all.

Aunt Lemon takes the sample piece set aside for the judging, "A very well made cake," She says, "Texture is good, consistency is excellent, taste is superb. I don't understand what it has to do with Christmas though."

"It looks like a giant present of course!" Maya chimes, "Right Hokori-chan?"

"I get lots of presents at Christmas, so I wanted to make a present cake!" Hokori agrees.

"That makes sense, I suppose," Aunt Lemon says, putting down her plate. "Now, Hokori-chan, how did you help make this?"

Hokori smiles sweetly, almost to the point where it's kind of sickening. "I gave lotsa instructions! Then, Maya-nee-chan followed all of 'em."

"But what did you actually do?" Aunt Lemon questions, "Did you mix the cake batter? Help decorate the-"

She doesn't get to finish however, because Hokori interrupts, "That's it!"

Aunt Lemon doesn't seemed too amused, "Very well." She moves on to us, and smiles when she sees our cake, "Well, doesn't this look adorable! What kind of cake is this?"

"Today, Jonathan helped us make an American-styled gingerbread cake," I say. Jonathan has latched himself onto my side again, peering up at Aunt Lemon curiously.

Aunt Lemon picks up the sample piece we set aside and chews thoughtfully as she eats it. A smile appears on her face, which has Jonathan sighing with relief beside me, "Wow! This cake may not be the best in terms of technique, but it certainly makes me happy! It's full of holiday cheer."

"That's what we were aiming for, isn't it Jonathan?" I nudge him, almost inviting him to speak.

He nods, "I just wanted to make my family happy for Christmas," He replies shyly.

Aunt Lemon beams at him, "And how did you help make this cake Jonathan?"

Jonathan smiles, "I helped mixed the cake mix with Himoto!" He says excitedly, "And coloured the icing with Isho. I put the cake in the oven with Komanda and Lynne-nee-chan decorated the cake with me!"

"So you did quite a lot!" Aunt Lemon says happily, "Very well done group." And she moves on to the next group.

At the end of the judging, all the parents are allowed inside. Jonathan's family is very happy to see the beautiful cake Jonathan helped make, "Wow Jonathan, this looks amazing!" His mother says excitedly, "Did you help a lot?"

"I did!" He says cheekily, "I wanted to make mommy and daddy happy! Merry Christmas!" His mother and father look at me very surprised, excited to see their son very much less shy than he had been at the beginning.

The sweet princes put the cake in a box for the family to take home, and as they leave, Jonathan turns back, waving goodbye, "Merry Christmas Lynne-nee-chan!"

"Merry Christmas Jonathan!" We all call back.

Aunt Lemon announces the results soon after the families leave. "I've decided on the winner for this event," She says, "And from their amazing display of Christmas and including their child well into the events of creating that cake, I hereby award Team Lynne with 20 reputation points!"

I'm super excited, as are the sweet princes. Maya throws a tantrum as usual, demanding why she didn't win, since her cake was better. "You didn't include Hokori-chan in anything," Aunt Lemon replies, "That was part of the rules, wasn't it?"

Flustered, Maya stomps off, her team in tow behind her. I laugh at her and her misfortune, however I'm not too sorry for her.

Isho-kun breaks into my thoughts, "Hey Lynne-chan, Komanda, Himoto and I were going to exchange Christmas presents later tonight, do you want to come?"

"Do I?" I reply happily, "I have presents for all of you!"

"Great," Isho-kun says, "We'll meet back here in an hour." I take a step back toward the door, before he stops me. Almost shyly, he looks me in the eye and asks, "And... Could you invite Hana-chan too?"

XxXxX

"Aw, exchanging presents with the sweet princes, I'm so excited!" Hana-chan squeals as we hurry on back to kitchen classrooms. We've got all our presents in grocery bags, all wrapped up or sealed in envelopes.

Isho-kun, Komanda-kun, and Himoto are waiting for us when we do. Situating all the presents in the middle of the counter, we begin to pull presents out from the pile. First comes Hana-chan's Christmas cards. They all thank her politely, and Isho-kun is next to hand out his presents, candy versions of ourselves, dressed up in Santa outfits. "Aw, this is so cute!" I squeal, holding it up close to my face, "And it looks just like me!"

Himoto smirks, "Plain and chubby, right?"

"OH SHUT UP!"

I notice from the corner of my eye, Isho-kun slides another smaller present across the table, to which Hana-chan takes and shoves into her coat pocket. I smile. They really are cute. Next is Komanda-kun, who picked out Christmas cards for everyone, including a wrapped macha caramel taped to the front. I pop it in my mouth, always enjoying the taste of Japanese sweets. "Thank you Komanda-kun!"

"It's no problem Kashino-chan," He replies politely.

Himoto comes next, giving everyone but me a present. "Um, you forgot someone?" I say, rolling my eyes jokingly.

He smirks, "No I didn't."

I wait for him to give me something, but he doesn't. "Mou! You devil, I got something for you! You could have at least gotten something for me."

"And what have you gotten for me?" He asks curiously, raising his eyebrow.

I huff, before handing out my presents, "Here! I got Christmas cards for everyone!" My eyes glitter with mischief, just wait until Himoto opens that card. When he does, the overly cheerful melody of 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' begins to play, and I see his face contort in surprise.

"Oh no you didn't Kashino."

"Oh yes I did!"

"This is obviously the gift of an idiot!"

"IS NOT!"

"Can we not fight on Christmas?" Isho-kun interjects. "Thank you for your gift Lynne-chan."

Both Himoto and I stop picking fights with each other after that. Isho-kun is right, there really shouldn't be fighting at Christmas. After hanging out and spending time together, we all depart for our rooms for the night. It is Christmas Day tomorrow morning, after all.

"I'm going to go see what this is!" Hana-chan says excitedly, when we get back to our room. She sits on her bed and begins to prod the wrapping paper. I wander over to my desk, to arrange my Christmas cards on them, when I hear tapping at the window. Curiously, I look out it to see someone throwing rocks at the window.

I open it, to see how could possibly be throwing rocks, and almost get hit with one in the face, "HEY! Who's out there?" I stick my head out the window and look around.

"Baka, who else would it be?"

My eyes widen and I lean out the window a little bit more to make sure I'm not mistaken, "Himoto?"

XxXxX

I rush outside the dorms to see what on Earth he wants. "What?" I ask, as I approach him. I've just thrown my jacket back on, wearing only my dorm slippers.

His cheeks are bright red, I guess it's from standing outside in the snow. "Here," He says, shoving a small black box into my hands.

I stare at it with confusion, "What is this-"

"It's your Christmas present, _stupid_," He mumbles under his breath, "I told you I didn't forget anyone." I'm almost touched by his gesture, and continue to stare at the box. It looks like it's from a jewellery store. "Well, are you going to stand there staring at it? Open it!"

Surprised at his outburst, I do. Inside is one little thing. A sparkly, golden necklace charm, in the shape of a heart. It catches the light coming out of the dorm's windows, and I look at it in awe, "Wow! It's so pretty!" I say eagerly.

"It's for your charm necklace," Himoto murmurs, "It kinda reminded me of you when I saw it. Cause you're so darn optimistic and loving, just qualities of an idiot like you I guess."

"Hey, that's rude!" I grumble, though he doesn't say anything. Instead, he reaches behind my neck, unclasping the necklace that always hangs around my neck. Gently taking it off me, he picks the charm out of the box and strings it along the necklace, beside Dylan's paper clip charm.

"Here," He says, leaning forward and re-clasping the necklace behind my neck. His hands kind of hold there for a moment, feeling warm against my skin. He looks me deep in the eye, the space between us feeling fizzy for some reason. "Merry Christmas Kashino."

I pull myself out of this weird trance, "Ah, Merry Christmas Himoto."

He lets go of me and leaves me standing there, turning away to walk back to the boys' dorm. I feel all tingly and weird; my heart is thudding like crazy.

_What was that?!_

* * *

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	25. Electrifying, A Sparkly New Years?

**Me: Da, da, da! C'est moi! (It's me! :D) welcome to MJMS chapter 25. We're nearing the end to this story here! Hold on let me check... There are officially 10 more chapters left! WHAT?! **

**So, I wrote this right before my exams start (they start Thursday) and I still have some culminating tasks to do (which I am procrastinating, as of now) which I have to get back to right after I finish writing this out. But nonetheless, I promised myself to get you guys a chapter before exams start, because you know... I'm horrible at updating and I probably won't for the next 2 weeks or so.**

**But you know, if I get to... Yay!**

**Anyway, enjoy this chapter and as usual, I do not own Yumeiro Patissiere! :)**

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My Journey, My Story 

Chapter 25: Electrifying, A Sparkly New Years?

When I go back inside, apparently I'm blushing like crazy, because Hana-chan asks me what's up. I can't tell her, that's too embarrassing! Especially because it's Himoto. He's _mean _to me all the time! There's no way he has a nice bone in his body, so why does he always do this to me? It's so confusing.

However, the heart charm, given to me by him feels soothing against my collar bone, where it rests on my necklace. I can't help but feel touched by such a sweet gesture; compared to the card I gave him... I stare at the wrapped earphones that I shoved under my bed. At the last second, I chickened out and didn't give them to him. I thought they would be overkill, but now that he's given me something so special...

Throughout Christmas break, I try countless times to give it to him, as a late Christmas present. But no time ever feels right. In the end, they just sit under my bed, still wrapped up in Christmas paper, collecting dust.

Before I know it, the end of Christmas break is nearing and it's almost the New Year. At this time, many students choose to go home and see their families. I would be one of those people too, had it not been that Aunt Lemon asked me to stay.

St. Marie holds a New Years Eve party for all the staff and students who remain at school for the holidays; and this year especially, there are many who aren't leaving. Aunt Lemon recruited me to help with the party, as they need a lot more help. Mom and Dad actually encouraged me to stay, even if they missed me. They said I should always help out other people when they need it.

Isho-kun and Komanda-kun are returning back to their houses for the New Years, as Isho-kun promised his younger siblings he would come back and play; while Komanda-kun goes home to spend time with his parents, as he's their only child.

According to Komanda-kun, Himoto is never home for holidays. I don't think it's so much that he hates his adoptive family; he just doesn't want to intrude on their holidays. I think that even if I showed him how much they care about him, he still can't look at them like he's part of their family. The holidays is a time for family, so I guess that's why he doesn't go back to see them.

Himoto is also part of the team that's helping out with the New Years Eve party. In fact, Aunt Lemon splits everyone into partners to work on a specific aspect to the party, and assigns Himoto as my partner.

This is my first big celebration at St. Marie and I really want to put my full heart into it, but at the same time, exams are coming up very quickly, so while I'm helping out with the party, I'm also trying to study hard. French is particularly troubling to me, because just like my Mom, it's hopeless. I just can't absorb all the different concepts into my head. So I've been taking long nights and early mornings trying to study. It's quite tiring, honestly.

Himoto and I are assigned the job of creating a sweet to be handed out right at midnight, when everyone sits outside to watch the fireworks. Aunt Lemon specifically gives us the job because she knows we're creative; being in the grand prix and everything. She wants us to make a sweet no one would ever forget; as it's the last sweet of the year.

"Now what kind of sweet is _so _good, no one will forget it?" Himoto asks. We both sit in the kitchen classroom, Himoto ranting on as I try to read from my French textbook. Kumquat and Fraise are arranging sugar cubes on the table into a little playhouse for themselves, almost like making snow forts. "Is anyone even listening?" He asks again, and I finally look up from the textbook.

"Sorry, I'm kind of trying to study here," I reply dryly, "Sorry to burst your bubble, but some people can't be as smart as you without trying."

"Oh shut up," He grumbles, "The party is tomorrow, if we don't have anything, Yamagishi-sensei is going to kill us. This sweet is super important to the party!"

I slam the textbook shut, "I'm just trying to do well, and you've always been nagging me about homework throughout this whole year, now you want me to stop studying? You don't make any sense Himoto."

He sighs heavily, peering at me intently, "Don't you think you're overworking yourself though? I mean, you've been reading that thing since I first saw you this morning. You're not going to learn anything if you're just drowning yourself in information."

"Fine, I'll stop for now," I say, putting the book away into my bag, "So, we have to make a sweet for the fireworks display, right?"

"Hey Lynne, what does a fireworks display look like?" Fraise asks, sticking her head out of her sugar cube house.

"You've never seen a firework display?" Kumquat sneers, "They have them in the Sweets Kingdom all the time."

"I just missed them all the time," Fraise fights back, "how have _you _seen them? You lived all the way out in the countryside, farm girl!"

"TAKE THAT BACK!"

"Stop fighting!" Himoto snaps, "This is serious."

"We only have a few more days, we don't even have an idea yet, we still have to make enough sweets too." I say, "But I'm not sure what would be memorable enough for a fireworks display, I think people are going to pay more attention to the fireworks than to what they're eating."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Himoto agrees, getting up and sitting beside me, "I'm out of ideas, we may have been creative during the middle school grand prix, but it's because of that my creativity is dried out."

"Same here," I reply glumly, "This sucks being stuck in a rut!"

"Oh! You know what my Mom always told me?" Fraise asks, "She said Ichigo once said that when you're out of ideas it's best to get outside and refresh your mind! There's nothing worse than being out of creative ideas and staying cooped up in the kitchen."

"Mom said that?" I reply airily, "I wonder if the same thing happened to her."

"Apparently when they were trying to open their first shop in Marie's Garden they did," Fraise says, "And your Dad was really getting irritable about it, keeping your Mom, Lemon-chan, and Johnny in the kitchen all the time! It wasn't until they got out of the kitchen they began to get new ideas."

"Really? Where'd they go?" Himoto asks.

"I'm not really supposed to talk about, but apparently a mix up happened and everyone got sucked up into the Sweets Kingdom."

"Sweets Kingdom!" I say dreamily. The last time we went into the Sweets Kingdom was at the start of the reputation points system. Chocolat, my Dad's sweet spirit, gave us reputation points for making a cake for her wedding anniversary. "Would we be able to go into the sweets kingdom?"

"Kashino, we don't have time for that," Himoto says, "Your parents had time to do that sort of stuff, but we don't. You still have to study!"

"Oh, so now you care about my studying?"

"I always did! You just weren't listening to me, so I wanted you to put it away!"

"You're so annoying did you know?" I snap back, "I don't have time to argue with you!"

"You think I do? It's just as annoying fighting with _you_!"

"_Shut up!_"

"Stop fighting!" Fraise breaks in, "You two are supposed to be partners in this! You can't be fighting all the time!"

"That's right," Kumquat adds, "You need to work together if you want to get anything done."

"Says you," Himoto says, narrowing his eyes, "You two are always at each other's throats."

"Well, that's different," Fraise says breezily, "You two need to pull it together and get something done."

"Fine," I say, grabbing an apron from the workstation and tying it behind me, "Let's do something then."

"What happened to getting out of the kitchen?" Himoto asks, rolling his eyes at me.

"Do you have any better ideas?" I ask, "Come on! I have a lot to do for school, so the sooner we get this done, the better."

"Kashino, don't you think you're stretching it a little bit? You're going to work yourself to death."

"First I'm not doing enough, now I'm doing too much? Make up your mind about what you want from me Himoto, because you're confusing me. Now come on, we've got stuff to do."

"I'm just trying to do what's best for you," He argues, "Is that so wrong? We are friends, and I do think that the overkill is going to kill _you_."

"Shut up! You act like you know me but you don't," I bite back, "You confuse me with what you want me to do, get mad at me when I make my own decisions, I know what I can handle and what I can't okay?" My throat aches from yelling; I just don't understand his logic, and right now it's really annoying me.

"Do you really? Honestly, I can't accept your judgement for yourself! You think you always know everything! There's a time where you just don't and have to listen to those around you."

"Stop it!" Fraise yells over us, "Stop fighting!"

I guess when Isho-kun and Komanda-kun aren't here, there are really is no one to stop our fights. "You devil!"

"I'd rather be a devil than an _idiot!_"

I can feel myself almost boiling over, "You jerk! I hate everything you say about me because it isn't true!" My throat is sore as I speak, I guess the sleep lost to studying is starting to catch up on me, "I hate you and every-" My voice suddenly makes them squeaky high pitched noise and I feel like my throat just split or something. I wince, bringing my hand up to my neck, massaging it lightly.

Himoto seems to notice my pain; his expression sort of softens and he stares confusedly, "Kashino? What's wrong?"

_Nothing stupid, _I think to myself, _I don't need your help! _

I go to say it too, but I realize I can't. All that comes out is this weird crackly noise and a sense of dread settles over me.

I've lost my voice.

Damn, I'm in huge trouble.

XxXxX

"Kashino?" Himoto presses on, "Answer me, you idiot!"

I give him a dirty look, isn't it obvious I can't say anything?

"I know what's wrong!" Kumquat smirks with that high and mighty look on her face, "Little miss 'I'm not overworking myself' lost her voice!"

Himoto soon takes on the same look as his sweets spirit, "Oh, did you now?" He says sneakily.

I can feel myself blush, this is so embarrassing! To have lost my voice at a time like this, on top of saying I was totally fine! "I..." I croak. It's painful to continue, so I don't.

"Tell me what we're going to do now Kashino," Himoto says, crossing his arms, "I'm sure as hell not doing this sweet on my own, but you can't really help if you can't talk."

Fraise floats up toward me, "Lynne, are you okay?"

My face is burning, but I nod. Himoto sighs tiredly, sitting down on a stool. He props his elbows on the counter and raising his eyebrows at me, "So now I've got a muted idiot and still _no _ideas for this New Year sweet. Way to go Kashino."

I puff out my cheeks angrily, wanting to say that it's not my fault, but of course, I can't. "Now what do we do?" Kumquat says snootily, "We have work to do and if you're going to be bother, you're free to leave."

"Oh come on Kumquat, that's rude!" Fraise breaks in, speaking in my defense, "Lynne can still help."

"I'd love to see her try," Kumquat replies, tossing her hair behind her shoulders.

Fraise opens up my back and magically lifts my notebook and pen out with her sweets magic, "Here Lynne, use this to write what you want to say."

I take it from her and sit beside Himoto, who looks at me with a steely gloss in his eye, "What did I tell you, I can never trust your judgement." I open my notebook silently. "At least acknowledge what I'm saying to you."

He sounds angry; and I guess it's fair considering I was arguing with him, telling him that he was wrong and that I hated him, when he was right all along.

_Sorry. _I scribble down, _You can say I told you so however many times you want. Whatever._

"Whatever?" Himoto says as he reads, "Don't give me sass Kashino."

_Fine. Fine. I'm sorry. You were right okay? ... And I... I don't hate you. I'm sorry I said that._

He sighs again, lightly shoving me by the shoulder, "That's better. I guess I'm sorry too. It's partly my fault, making you yell." He smirks as he reads on, "Oh, and I knew you don't. You always use that as an insult, but you never mean it."

_Oh, shut up._

"At least I can talk," He snickers, before seeing me glare at him. "Okay, okay, alright. In all seriousness, how are we supposed to make a sweet for the fireworks with you like this?"

_I don't know. But I had an idea. What if we made a sweet that made you taste the fireworks? It would enhance the fireworks show experience, wouldn't it?_

Fraise and Kumquat hover over us, "That sounds like a good idea," Fraise says, "I'm glad you found some creativity!"

It actually just occurred to me. Our problem is that no one will really be paying attention to the sweets if they're watching the fireworks, but what if the sweets just made the fireworks all the better? A sweet that tastes like fireworks.

The only problem is how do you make a sweet that tastes like fireworks anyway?

Himoto speaks this concern, "How are we supposed to make a sweet that tastes like explosions in the sky?" He asks dryly.

_We gotta make it explosive! _I joke, a smile on my face.

He reads it and laughs, shaking his head, "You really are an idiot." He gets up, beginning to take out different equipment from under the counter. "Practically speaking, the sweet should be easy to eat, because the event is outside and there's lots of people. We can't be making classy sweets on plates. They have to be bite sized and easy to eat."

There are a lot of different sweets that aren't what they call "plated desserts". Petit fours are just an example of bite sized sweets. The ones the Sweet Princes and I made at the beginning of the year would be the perfect kind of sweet for an event with lots of people because they are quick to make and can be held in your hand. There are also the ones my parents always made for different parties they catered for. One of the most popular of those were cake pops.

Cake pops are like a cute little bite of a full cake. It's cake rolled into a ball, usually coated in fondant or hardening chocolate, and pierced by a stick. It's almost like a lollipop made of sweet cake! They're easy to hold because of the stick. As I think of this, I scribble it down excitedly.

_**Cake pops!**_I write in bold letters, holding up the notebook to show Himoto.

He comes closer so that he can read it, before he rolls his eyes jokingly, "Cake pops? Isn't that something for a kids' party?" I frown and he can see my displeasure. "I'm joking, I'm joking. Sounds good to me, whatever you say muted idiot."

I lower my gaze, _Stop calling me muted idiot._

Himoto laughs, ruffling my tied back hair, causing me to squeak. "But you are one," He says, pulling the elastic out of my hair. He flicks it at me and I tie it back. "You annoyed?" Himoto asks.

_Well, what do you think?_

"I'll take that as a yes." He sits beside me, taking the notebook from me, "Cake pops that taste like fireworks huh?" He starts sketching a picture of a cake pop, "I'd think there'd need to be something crunchy on it, cause that's what I think of when I think of fireworks; an almost 'crunch' like feeling."

"I think of something sour," Fraise adds, "You know, like lemon! It almost stings your mouth in a delicious but explosive kind of taste. Firework like."

"Lemon cake pops..." Himoto murmurs under his breath. He labels the base cake of the cake pop 'lemon'. "Why don't we coat it with dark chocolate or something?"

I watch him muse to himself, as he labels the outer layer of the cake pop as 'dark chocolate'. It feels kind of weird to be sitting here, unable to say anything. I feel almost excluded, stuck in my own little world. It's weird how distant I feel.

"Oh Kashino, I almost forgot to consult you." Himoto says, pulling me back into the conversation, "Usually you don't shut up, so it feels like you're not here."

I take the pen out of his hands and scribble in the corner of the page, _Oh, you're just __**loving **__this, aren't you?_

"Not every day I get to avoid the squeaky chatter you overload my ears with."

_Rude._

"But true," He says. "For a crunchy element... Why don't we caramelize the cake pop with sugar? It'll be sweet over the dark chocolate and lemon cake, plus texture. What do you think?"

"Perfect, as expected for someone like you," Kumquat says proudly to her partner, "Unlike Miss Mute here, who can't even control her own voice!"

"Stop being such a bully Kumquat!" Fraise yells, "Just because Lynne can't talk back, doesn't mean I won't!"

"All of you just ought to settle down," Himoto rolls his eyes, "Honestly. Anyway, let's get started with this. The sooner we finish, the sooner this muted idiot can rest."

_I told you to stop calling me a muted idiot!_

Himoto smiles, "But where's the fun in that?"

After planning out this sweet, Himoto and I have encountered a worse problem. This is mostly my fault because I can't talk.

"_Kashino!_ It burned again! You have to tell me so I can..." Himoto stops, clearly irritated, "Well, you would tell me if you could actually talk!"

_I'm sorry! I can't write fast enough to keep up with you!_

He sighs and I can see the impatience crackling in his eyes. He never was one to be patient. "Then what? You're honestly just dragging everything down."

_I know, I know. I'm sorry! We have to try something faster than writing..._

"Here, I have an idea," Fraise contributes, "I can use sweets magic so that you can hear Lynne's thoughts."

"You mean you're going to read her mind?" Himoto asks.

"Sort of, whatever Lynne thinks of, the sweets magic will project her thoughts into your mind as if she's talking to you."

Himoto puts his arm on my head, almost using me like an arm rest. "Well it's worth a shot." He looks at me, "Are you okay with that?"

Himoto seeing all my thoughts? That's a weird thing to think about. Nonetheless, I nod because I don't know what else I would do.

"Magical Macaron, Lynne's Super Sweet Thoughts," Fraise says, waving her spoon around, "Come on out!"

Did it work?

"Well, it seems to work," Himoto says. That means he must have heard me! "Alright, let's get to it Kashino." He takes his arm off my head and walks on ahead to start working. "Come on Kashino, we have to get going before the magic runs out."

XxXxX

"Kashino, start peeling and juicing the lemons, will you?" Himoto says. I'm in charge of making the lemon cakes for the cake pops. As usual, Himoto's taken over the chocolate aspect, because as he puts it 'I'm not skilled enough' for him to let me.

I start with the tasks into making the lemon cake. As I've come to learn throughout my life is that the composition of cakes are almost all the same. Things like butter, sugar, flour, and eggs are always in them. I've always wondered what makes them so different from each other.

Mom taught me a long time ago that it is the person who makes them who gives them either a good or bad taste. If you don't put your feelings into a cake, it will never be the same. That's why sweets made by others are better than packaged ones made in factories.

"Always smile when you're making sweets!" Mom always said.

For that reason, I smile with whatever I do.

For the lemon cake I need the typical ingredients that like I said, are always in cakes. Unsalted butter, all purpose flour, lemon zest and juice, eggs, baking powder and soda, salt, and milk.

Firstly, I cream the butter and sugar together until it's light and fluffy. Then, I add in the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Sifting together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, I add it into the butter mixture in small portions, alternatively adding the dry ingredients and the milk. Doing this carefully and accurately ensures for the sweet to have air pockets, which make it soft and moist after baking. After I finish, I put the cake in the oven, and I sit down and watch Himoto continue with his tempering.

I've never told him, but I really like watching him do it. I think ever since that first time, early in the morning, when he showed me how to do it and told me so much about himself, I've always felt it was a little bit special to me.

And even then, at that time I didn't really know him. To think that now we're together again, in a similar scenario, it's a little bit nostalgic. But I am glad. Glad to have met Himoto, and everyone else. They are all special to me.

"Thinking about me, huh?" Himoto's voice breaks into my thoughts. I must have been daydreaming. I give him a confused glance. How does he...?

"I can hear your thoughts, remember?"

Oh.

So what I just...

He stops tempering for a moment and looks up at me with a sincere smile on his face, "I'm special to you? Thanks."

I can feel my skin burning up, feeling warm and weird from the words he says.

In the end, we finish all the cake pops for tomorrow's party. They're all lined up on wax paper, looking almost sparkly from the caramelized sugar coating them. I truly hope everyone who eats them will feel all sparkly, just like I intend them to feel, when they look at the fireworks.

XxXxX

The next day, Hana-chan and I prepare for the New Year's party in our bedroom. Hana-chan told me her parents went away for Christmas, and it would be better for her to stay here. I'm quite thankful she did, because I'm having a lot of trouble...

"Silly Lynne-chan," She jokes, fixing up my hair, "To lose your voice on New Year's Eve, it's a shame, isn't it?"

I pout in response, to which she laughs more. From the instructions of Aunt Lemon, I'm to wear a kimono, because all the other girls involved with the party are. I'm not particularly happy about it, because I find kimonos to be constricting and whatnot; but if it makes Aunt Lemon happy, certainly I'm not going to argue.

That doesn't change the fact that I don't have a kimono though. Luckily, Aunt Lemon told Mom about it, so she sent me one. I think the thing I hate about kimonos the most is how bothersome they are to put on. It's taken Hana-chan and I about an hour to finally get the thing on me. Because it's December, almost January, the weather still is cold. The kimono Mom sent me is perfect for it, because it's really long.

The sleeves are long, covering me whole arm. Likewise, the whole thing goes right down to my ankles. The kimono itself is made of dyed blue silk, covered in patterns of cherry blossoms. My name, Lynne, means something along the lines of "lake", which is why Mom chose to give me a blue kimono; to reflect the water meaning to my name.

Hana-chan ties the obi around me and secured it. "There, you're so pretty Lynne-chan!" She leads me to stand in front of the mirror, and I'll be honest, it's hard to get there because it's so hard to walk in this thing.

"Look!" Hana-chan says happily. I'm quite stunned to see myself in this. Because to be honest, it doesn't look like me. Hana-chan pulled my hair up into a bun, leaving some of it at the side, curled over my shoulder. I look so different.

Hana-chan sees my expression, "Oh, Lynne-chan, don't be so shocked! I'm surprised you don't like getting dressed up like this so often, the look suits you!" She laughs mischievously and whispers in my ear, "And hey you know, Himoto is going to flip when he sees you."

This causes my face to go completely red and because I can't talk, I just shake my head profusely.

At the party, everyone seems to be having fun. All the girls helping with the party are wearing kimonos too; and I guess after a while, it is kind of fun to dress up in such a way. All the guys are wearing their own kimonos, which are obviously less flashy than mine and the rest of the girls. Speaking of guys, I actually haven't seen Himoto at all this evening, but I'm too busy to go and look for him.

"Lynne-chan!" Hana-chan says, latching onto my arm, "We've got to have lots of fun before you have to start handing out the firework sweets. Let's go over there!"

XxXxX

"Okay Lynne, I need you to start handing out the firework sweets," Aunt Lemon says, handing me a platter full of the cake pops Himoto and I made. "I've already sent Himoto-kun to the left side, so I'll be sending you to the right, okay?"

I nod and she walks off, probably to greet more guests. As I continue to walk in the direction Aunt Lemons sent me, I see the fireworks start to shoot up into the air, exploding into beautiful crackles of colour. It's like a rainbow in the night sky. All around me, people sit together and watch the fireworks, some even making pictures in the sky.

I hand out the cake pops to people, and I'm overjoyed to see the expressions they put on people's faces. It's a wish of mine to have make sweets that can make everyone smile, and seeing things like this just makes me feel all the better.

Soon enough, all the cake pops I had are gone. Leaving me to sit on one of the benches and just watch the fireworks.

"Woah."

I turn around and see Himoto behind me. He looks surprised, and even a little red. He's wearing his own kimono, colours of black, and gray. Very simple; something that I knew he would wear.

"Kashino, you look..." He starts to say, "I... I didn't even recognize you."

I roll my eyes at him and gesture for him to sit beside me. He does, handing me something warm. "Here, I got this for you."

It's kinako mochi, a style of mochi made by roasting it over flame, or more likely here, the stove. It's dipped in water and then coated with sugar and soy flour, called kinako. It's often made on New Year's for luck, but more importantly, is my favourite sweet of the New Year. How could Himoto possibly...?

"I just thought you would like it," He shrugs. It's like he's reading my thoughts. "I may not be able to hear your thoughts anymore, but I know you Kashino. You love sweet things, which makes sense because you're a sweet person. So I thought that you'd like it."

I nod, smiling at him. I still can't talk. But if I could, I would tell him it's my favourite and that I'm thankful. He seems to understand from the smile I give him.

Overhead, more of the fireworks boom above us. I nibble on the kinako mochi while Himoto leans back and says, "I've been thinking about what I heard from you for a while now. You know, how everyone is special to you?"

I nod in agreement and he starts to stare at his lap, fidgeting with his hands, "I just want to tell you that you're special to everyone too, you know? Everyone around you, I've never seen people so happy, until I met you. Everyone here is special, and it's all because of you. Everyone here feels special because of how you make them feel. I... I'm thankful to you for that."

I swallow down the rest of the mochi. I want to say something to him, but I can't. "Kashino, I'm thankful to have met you, and I know I'm rude all the time, and most of the time, I don't mean to be. But I'm glad that you're still here anyway. I've chased off a lot of people because of the way I act, and I never seem to learn from those mistakes, but you... You're one of the people who didn't run. You're someone who knows about me and all the stupid mistakes I've made in the past; and you're still here. I'm grateful to you for everything... I... I'm really glad to be your friend."

Stupid Himoto. He's making me cry. I have tears swimming in my eyes, at his sincerity and his willingness to admit these things to me.

"I know it's not really fair for me to say this now, since you can't say anything back. But I just want you to know, I'm not really good at keeping friends, or making them... So, please stay my friend, okay? As the New Year comes around, I want us to stay friends, for a long time, okay?"

I really do treasure Himoto as a friend. In fact, he's one of best friends in the world. He looks at me, with this almost vulnerable expression. "Can we?"

I smile at him very gently and clearing my throat, I muster up the strength to whisper, "Yes. We'll be friends for a very long time."

When he hears me say it, his eyes seem to almost lighten, and he smiles at me, with this gentleness I've never seen before. "I'm glad."

And he leans forward and pulls me into a hug, soft and warm, feeling his arms around me. "You mean a lot to me Kashino." And before I know it, he slips his hand into mine and pulls apart our hug, "And when the time comes for it, I want to show you just how much I do."

I can feel myself starting to blush, w-what is he saying?!

"But for now... I want to grow more. I want to become stronger and understand more. Before that time comes... Please don't mention this to anyone. I'm sorry if I'm confusing you or what, but please just keep what I've said a secret for now. That's just the way I need it to be."

I nod, tightening my grip on his hand. I'm still confused; I don't quite understand what he means by all this, but I know one thing is for certain. Himoto is my friend and if he's still afraid of opening himself up to people. And that's okay with me. Whatever he wants to show me about what I mean to him...

I'll be waiting.

* * *

**Me: *sigh* I love fluff! And I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Lynne is very oblivious btws, so she doesn't really understand what Himoto is trying to tell her (poor Himoto...) but from here, where do you think this will go? I'm all up for knowing what you guys think is going to happen in MJMS in the future!**

**Thanks again for all the follow/favourites and all your lovely reviews which put a smile to my face!**

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**I'm very thankful to all of you! And I'm very excited that MJMS is almost at 400 reviews and it hasn't even been a year yet! I thank you all for sticking around and following Lynne on her journey, and mine as a writer. Until next time!**

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**~Mikashi-chan :)**


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